Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-01-15
M | s c E L L A N Y.
THE BEAUTIFUL DEC0Y.
Ignox THE usrrpLIsusp CHRONICLE OF A TRAVELLER

lFRoN THE UNPUBLISHED CHRONICLE or rRAvEiLER.l
1t is well known to all in any degree familiar
with the history of Mexico, that regular sys-
TEN of highway robbery exists in every section
of that miserably governed country; and that
through want of interference of the authofi-
ties, this has grown up into such a regular and
formidable shape, that every traveller must be
prepared to put his life in hazard at every stage,
bv provided with a suitable contribution for
los cabdileros deidomino 1.-THE knights of the
road,) who, in the event of finding you prepar-
ed and willing, will make their levy with po-
lteness only equalled by the smiling landlord
when he receives your overcharged fare for last
nights entertainment. Why such systematic
boldness of robbery is allowed-if not with the
connivance, at least with rarely any interference
of the government or state authorities-is one
of those mystical matters which among many
others so puzzles and perpexes the intelligent
foreigners, but that such is the disagreeable
truth, every traveller through the wretched
country can bear ample testimony.
Some years ago. having business which first
called me to the Capital of Mexico, and thence
through the interior of the country to the north
ward, met with several thrilling adventures,
which have recorded for the benefit of whom
soever may take an interest therein, omitting
only the dates, they being non-essential to the
interest of the variations themselves.
The first of the series occurred on the route
between Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico
In the regular diligencia running between the
had passed through the beautiful city of Jalapa,
and entered the gloomy town of Perote, with
out meeting with any unusual incident, though
being continually warned to be on my guard
against the dangers of the road. At Perote,
where we halted for relay and refreshments,
all my fellow passengers took leave of me, very
| solemnly assuring me that, if assaied by the
lddrOnes, or robbers, it would be much better
for me to take matters quietly, and suffer my
self to be generally plundered, than to run the
risk of having my throat cut for resistance, as
l had somewhat boldly proclaimed it was my in
tention of doing. l thanked them for their ad-
vice, and replied that would take the matter
into serious consideration.
At Perote, l repeat, all who had been my
companions from Vera Cruz took leave of me,
this being the end of their journey in that di-
rection, but there was one new passenger to go
forward whom, to my agreeable surprise,
found to be beautiful young lady, some twen-
ty years of age.
Senorita Paula, as subsequently ascertained
her name to be, was indeed one of those rare
beauties seldom met with except in works of
fiction-tall, graceful, with profusion of long,
black hair-soft, clear, melting dark eyes-fea-
lures as perfect as ever came from the hands of
the sculptor, and with an animation the most
fascinating, varying in expression with every
changing mood of the intellectual possessor.-
| A glance at her bewitching dark eyes showed
me that she was one who was naturally of So
cial dispositions; and as we ratified away from
the gloomy town, took the liberty of opening
a conversation.
"They tell me-" said !, "that the route be-
tween here and Mexico, is very dangerous one
to travel"
"There is little to fear," she replied, with a
sweet smile and in melodious tone, "except
from the professional robbers, and they seldom
harm any one who makes no resistance"
at seems strange to me-" ! rejoined, "that
you Mexicans should take such things as mat
ter of course, and deem resistance very impo-
lite way of treating the knights of the road, in
stead of boldly asserting your rights, and abat-
ing the evil by a manly spirit of resistance
For myself, must consider it the most coward
ly of proceedings, for any respectable party to
set out prepared to guilty crafty the cupidity
of the lddrones, and unprepared to treat them
to their just deserts"
every traveller, Senor," she replied, "should
before setting out, count the cost Of his Journey
and as of course it is natural he should value
his life highly, it seems to me natural that he
should pay certain sum for positive safety
rather than put that life in jeopardy. For in
stance in travelling from Vera Cruz to Mexico
if he will first reckon that so much is the fare
by the diligencia, and that so much will be re-
quired for entertainment ON the way, and SO
much for the contingency you speak Of, he will
then have the exact cost between two points
aud if he will look at the whole as the sum to-
tai of his journey, he will not seem to be robb-