The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-03-09
McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 1859

the wolves in creation had congregated
they kept up their Internal orgies until
nearly daylight, depriving us of sleep,
and leaving us nearly as tired as we were
the evening before. Next morning we
ate our breakfast and after cons ultation,
determined to start in a south -easterly
direction. After travelling some time
through dense and tangled underbrush
without track, we came to hacienda,
or Mexican farm, and upon inquiry
learned that our road laid some miles
in another direction. Not however un.
til we had given the Mexican to under.
stand thas we were Americans, and
badly lost to boot, could we obtain the
required information. We turned our
horses heads and after many twistings
and windings we finally found the main
road again, being rather wiser than the
day before, and mentally resolving
among ourselves to take no more by
roads. We found however on inquiry
that our Mexican of the day before was
right and we had missed the road
Nothing of interest occurred during
our days travel, and sunset brought us
to a small Mexican village, by which
meandered bubbling stream; here we
encamped for the night, and after the
usual ceremonies attending our supper
were over, We were visited by the in.
habitants of the village. They seemed
very sociable and continued to come in
until every man, woman and child of the
rancho had favored us with their COM
pany among others the village priest
came also, and from his clerical dress,
ornamented with beads, rosaries and a
large gold cross, attracted considerable
share of my attention and from the
portliness and rotundity of his figure,
judged that he enjoyed his share of the
good things of this world. By night
fall they had all left us and we at once
spread down our blankets for repose.-
Scarcely had we turned in when the
sweet sounds of guitar and violin
were heard from an adjoining house, and
we received deputation of the inhabi-
tants inviting Amigos, Ez .Senors to par
take of their hospitality in the shape of
fandango, which being SO near at hand
we accordingly accepted, although we
were very tired and sleepy.
On entering the house we found it to
contain but one long, low room, in one
end of which were seated, on log, two
Mexican musicians the opposite end
was occupied by about half dozen
sienoritas, sitting on the only bench in
the room; they were laughing and talk
ing in Spanish, of which we could occa-
sionally detect by a word such as Los
Americonos or L'hona6ros, that we were
yn 6s y4hhft # hsH Es~sfs aD 10 mD4s Ihs
seats being left; the most of them were
naked to the waist from which depended
a pair of loose pantaloons, and on their
feet a pair of slippers, this being the
common dress of the evening. Their
dancing consisted the most part in waltz
ing, with occasionally an attempt at
cotillion, which was carried on without
calling, consequently the readers of this
article who are dancers, may form some
idea of their blunders and Mistakes
While le oking on at their awL wardness,
| thought that some adventurous for
eigner had been trying to teach these
natives a change in dancing which could
never equal their graceful waltz. At
midnight their fandango broke up, and
soon We were in a sound sleep, from
which we did not awake until the sun
was full an hour high. In a short time
we again resumed our journey; about
noon we passed Hungarian settlement
consisting of one hundred exiled fami-
lies; they have been there about three
years, the first two of which they had
TO contend with many difficulties, but
for the past year they were more sue
cessful. They have erected large
stone Catholic Church, and many other
are in progress among
them they ale also building town !;
The Post Office is called Parma Maria.
About sunset we drove into Goliad,
and being entirely unscquainted with the
interior economy of the place We were
entering, we drove up and accosted
who was digging an irrigating
ditch, which resulted in receiving the
information that at certain house on
The corner Of the Plaza stranger could
obtain all the necessary proyender usu-
ally kept in Southwestern "shake-
down." Thanking him for the informa-
ton and taking the direction indicated,
We soon found our House, delivered our
horses over to the landlord, eat supper
and quieted down for the night.
This is an old place, laid out in Mexi-
can style, a league, or three miles square,
with plaza or square in the centre,
around which are the principal business
houses. AS tie streets diveree from
lhe square, the lots double in size until
they reach forty. eighty and even one
hundred and sixty acres. They esti-
mate the population at about twenty-five
hundred, and | judged from the amount
Of land contained in its limits that the
inhabitants would not be oyer-crowded
It there were ten times the number
On the west side of the town flows the
San Antonio River, and across
he River on an elevated piece Of ground
stands the famous old Monastic town of
LABARDIE, once noted for its temple of
the Moniezumas. Here burned until
within half hundred years, the eter-
nal fires of the Montezumas. Here the
faithful Indians managed to keep their
sacred flame in the estuta or altar, until
The Jesuits from Spain. with their inva.
ders, sacked and plundered their city
then the fires from the Estufa burned
and sent their incense from the same
Affairs from which was preached the doc
lrine of Christ. Now they in their turn