The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-04-27
McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 81, 1850

resemble only in appearance. The grain is
first soaked in ley water until it becomes
soft and looses its outer covering, it is then
thoroughly washed in water and placed in
the sun to dry when dried thoroughly it is
ready for the mill, which consists of fat
stone and cylindrical crusher Of the same
material A woman places the corn pre-
pared in this manner beside her, and with
the stones before her on the ground, she
assumes knecling posture and crushes
about handful at a time until it becomes
moderately fine and soft, it is then placed in
atrough and worked into dough, then mould
ed into cakes with the hands and baked hard
when it is ready for use.
After dinner we bid our Mexican friend
the Alcalds, good bye, and took a circular
direction across the prairie toward the north.
Travelling about three miles, we brought up
. at the head Of the San Antonio river, dis
tsnt about FIVE miles from the city. This
river is formed from number Of very large
springs which gush out from the base Of the
/ Rocky Mountains, spur of which termi-
mates here and grow in size as they near the
Great Andean Chain, until their SUBMITS
tower above the clouds and are capped with
eternal snow. These springs are as clear as
chrystal and in size about ten or fifteen feet
broad and from eight to twenty deep; the
bottoms of these springs are covered with
coarse difftrent-colorcd gravel stones.-
Every pebble can be plainly seen, magnified
in size as we gaZcd into its depths below
Here one would almost think that thc Eureka.
the Elixir Vita, the tablcd springs Of eter-
nal life, so long sought for by Ponce De Leon,
were found at last A large Watcr-cure
establishment is in process o. erection for
l.. cFl lla y Il,
constantly arriving in San Antonio for their
healths and from the purity Of these springs,
the salubrity OF the climate, the bracing
sea breeze, makes these springs a point to
which all eyes are directed; health blooms
here every stranger is assured Of perennial
freshness and vigor, and the invalids Of
every cline, and the victims Of every disease
are here invited to resort to the fountain of
this river as q spot visited of old by the angel,
and be healed
The altitude of these springs is about
seven hundred feet above the level of the
Gulf of Mexico into which their waters
flow; the distance from them to the Gulf is
about one hundred and fifty miles; it forms
q constant succession of catarats varying
from two to ten feet, over bed composed
mostly of limestone rocks We left these
side; the banks of the river on either side
are lined with trees, which for miles along
y We're covered with climbering grape vines.
from which depended countless millions of
of grapes, large, black and luscious; so load
ed were the vines that they were bent to the
ground in other places they hung dangling
+ in the river. Here amidst so much profu-
sion all is neglected; here they remain until
, dotage and new crop forces them off, and
takes their place TO share the same fate and
be crowded off by another. Nothing of in
I tcrest occurred except occasionally passing
a small Mexican hamlet we finally reached
. the city, passing by the old Mill, which GER
1 tainly is an oddity in its way and deserving
I slight description. 1t is OF Spanish build
a and from its appearance it must be nearly a
; century since it was built. 1t contains two
/ run of stones for grinding corn. The large
t driving or water whecl, stands in the centre
of the river and is propelled by the force of
the water as it passes along; there is no dam
or head gate, and when the labor OF grind
5 ing is finished for the day, it is stopped by
raising this large water wheel clear from the
river by means of Il lever
r While looking at this venerable Nil! the
/ cracked bell of the old church sang out its
/ peals, and looking up the street towards the
plaza, we noticed a procession. Giving our
e horses in charge to their keeper we followed
I our course to the church and soon came up
to the struggling procession. Hearing a
cry of distress in broken accents and look
: ing in the direction from which the sound
proceeded, for the first time we perceived it
. was funeral. The priest was preceded by
Y three small boys dressed in white; one load
> ed down with a large black cross, the other
: two swinging incense, which was burning
/ in an article hung in chains similar in ap-
/ pearance to our suspension lamps; preced-
| ing the coffin (Which was carried along un-
5 covered was the priest attired in his cleii-
t cal robes and chanting in a sing-song tone
in company with two or three others, the
4 ritual Of the dead; few uncovered men
| and noisy boys followed The affair pre-
$ sented none of the solemnity to which we
are accustomed in the performance of the
e last duty to departed friends. AS the pro-
e cession moved into the church, the coffin
, was set down on the ground-hoor. Lifting
$ coarse sacb-cloth from the box, disclosed
t to our view the corpse of an aged female of
e a haggard and emaciated hue; she was clad
t in dress of the coarsest materials and as
, unlike corpse as possible. While the
priest was engaged in his doyotions boy
\ came trotting in with the coffin lid which he
D deposited on the floor also, and departed,
f taking no heed of the gathering noise he
f made while making his exit As soon as
!. the ritual was performed the procession was
again formed and moved out Of the church
towards the grave yard, passing in their
e train group Of twenty or thirty noisy
G Mexicans who were huddled around a cock
0 pit, cursing and swearing with great vehe-
r mencc and taking no notice of the process
f ion.
;, The next day being Sunday we dropped
E into the Roman Church during the hour of
/ service. This building is without floor 9th
. er than the ground, and also minus of seats
: except a few rough benches near the altar :;
= the church was nearly filed by far the
/ largest portion were females. A few stran-
gers were also among the motley crowd and
# from their different attire and appearance
f one could easily judge that they were survey
{ ing (strange to them) spectacle. The
! women were in a kneeling posture and ap-
:, .peared very humble and attentive listeners
' Ito the muttered incantations of the priest
: He delivered his discourse in Spanish in the
n monotonous sing song tones of his profess
n ion. This building is composed OF stone
e and belongs also to that class Of architecture
1 of which the Missions are constructed,
; though of more limited dimensions Its
! walls are at least six feet in thickness but
$ the material is soft and time and the elements
g are fast making sad havoc with it. Over the
# principal entrance is a comieal looking statue
Of His Holiness set in a niche in the wall !;
r this statue has lost his nose and one ARM
h 1t was once painted and the paint being
n sealed off in many places makes it look as