The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-04-13

Bowie, Travis and Bonham, died. The
Missions of Conception, miles below, and
San Juan, Q miles below on the East side Of
the San Antonio River, San Jose (Yhosay,)
81, and L'Esperada IL miles down, west
side, are all in ruins. All along the river
are little bathing houses; city law makes
bathing in the river, outside the bath houses,
fineablc. Before the passage Of this law,
the Mexican men and WOMEN were in the
habit of bathing together close by the prin-
cipal bridges, without even fig leafapology.
for bathing dresses; this so shocked the
American settlers (or rather ladies', for it is
only lately that there We're many American
women here, and the law is recent one,)
that the city fathers undertook to improve
the Mexican manners, and now in warm
weather the custom is observed just OFT Of
the city. Every afternoon, walking along
the river banks, you may notice the Mexican.
washerwomen sitting (hunkies, we used to
call it, as boys,) on or beside large. fiat
stone on which they wash, alternately rims.
ing the clothes in the river and rubbing them
on the stone, regardless of the smiles or re-
marks of the strangers who may be shock
ed or amused at their neglge wardrobe
pctticoat and chemise, the latter often un-
fastened; should you be familiar with the
language, and offer Jest to one of them it
is more than likely you'd get your modesty
shocked (if you had any, for many Of them
car match Billingsgate Trishman, in black
guarding. The San Antonio and San Pedro
Rivers run through the city, and bitches
from them carry water to the gardens and
houses. The San Antonio rises about 81
miles from town, having some l5 or 20
springs at its head; the largest one, (Pinncy
Young, Of Milwaukee, who boards there,
told mc) would carry run of stone, with
10 feet head. This spring is the most beau
tiful thing of the kind | ever saw, 1S feet
deep, clear as crystal, it boils UP from solid
rock, the sides Of the basin covered with
luxuriant aquatic vegetation ofvaricd shades
from light and yellow to dark green; the
temperature of this spring is rs deg. a
dam is built near one of the springs, and
from the fall, two Hydraulic rams supply
Capt. Stitt's house, garden and fountain
with water; the house and adjacent build
ings are filled with invalid boarders, mostly
consumptives. for which complaint this eli
mate is considered very beneficial. Pinncy
Young was far gone with consumption, and
is now gaining about half pound per day
in flesh, and rapidly improving otherwise
The San Pedro rises miles from town, in
a large rocky basin, around the edges of
which springs boil up from the rocky bed;
at this place German Beer garden (whisky
milD and dance house. offer entertainment
to visitors. The water of ALL the springs
| have tasted about here, is quite warm, say
60 to 76 deg. These, and the San Antonio
springs, are believed to be a reappearance of
the Cibolo river, pronounced Sc-wil-la)
which disappears about lS or 20 miles above.
Rattlesnakes, Tarantulas, Centipedes, Scor-
pions, Lizards, &C., I've heard much about,
but have seen only the two latter, which
look just like the pictures we see Of them,
and agree with our preconcieved notions.
Of course had to go to Fandango, and
set out with an Anglo Mexican IAN Ottoman
who had been living in Western Texas and
Mexico Is years. for Madame Candalori's
fandango housc-out in the chapporal-
dubbed the Mission de Mari Magdalen--
there found about Is or Is Mexican women
and girls, French and German girl, with
dozen or more MeXicans, 9 or Germans,
some Irish and Is or 20 Americans, several
of whom, like myself, were strangers hunt
ing the Elephant. The music was violin
and bass drum; the Hackelle in which it
was held, was floored about 25 feet for dane
ing, the balance like most all Mexican
lDuses) was clay floor and occupied by re-
frcshment tables; quadrille was formed
and at it they went with a jest, promenade
all, swing the left, hug your partner, &C.,
&c. Twill quote the remark of Sucker
who was there for the first time: ''Well I'll
be dogon'd if that amt the most affection
ate style of dancing, ever seen;" to which.
a Texan replied, II reckon you'd say so il
you'd try it with that girl, (pointing to oneJ
she'd give you right smart of it." Contra
(Spanish) Dances, Reels and Waltzes follow
ed, but all different from anything ever saw
in America" except Schottisch, which is
danced as we do. tried my hand-or
rather feet-at it, and got through very sat
istactorily; all the women there were low
creatures, who banded double-entendres
with the men. Most of the men had six
shooters or Bowie knives in plain sight, many
both, and disputes and quarrels are of fire.
quent occurrence, when a resort to pistol
and knife, is judge and jury. Three men
drew for fight, when was there, but the
bystanders interfered and stopped their fun
After that had to see the Monte banks
was show through three rooms, then out in
room; most of those present were Mexicans,
3 by Americans, with Mexican partners.-
| couldn't understand the Spanish cards at
first, but soon got the run of it, and saw
enough; one poor fellow told me he was
S210 out. Next in order comes the cock
fights; 80 to 20 MeXicans and Americans
were around the ring, more than half Of
them had their chickens under their arms,
or hoppled with a string, at their feet; q
fight was made, preliminaries settled and
having attached miniature scythe, in place
of gafIs, to the spur of each chicken, they
were teazcd to the fighting point; in about
80 seconds dominick was laid out with
large cash in his breast and Whitley was car.
ried Oft growing, $50 or 800 changed hands.
I'd seen enough and left.
In speaking of quarrcls at the fandangoes,
/ should say that within the last two or three
years there has been great change. AS
to shooting and stabbing, the laws are get
ting to be generally respected; the worst
desperadoes have been killed or driven away
by the vigilance committee (still in eXis-
tence) and those left think their chances so
poor between the committee and the law Of
Iicers, that except at fandangoes, Monte
banks or cock fights, where sudden quar-
rel might induce some shooting, man is
safe about the city any time, day or night,
and then such shooting or stabbing would
undergo legal investigation and be punished .
and not be winked at, as formerly
Most of the people go on horseback, and
always with a cabras or stake rope, on the
neck of the horse, which is coiled and fast
ened by loop to the pummel of the saddle;
this is used when they stop, in place of a
halter, and when the horse is feeding, fast
cned to a tree or iron stake with ring at the
top, for once let a Spanish horse get loose,
and you'd have to catch him with larictte,
which would necessitate another horse to