, 1866-06-21

more trees II would be ainbst paradise.
he views being diversified with mountain and |
7altey-but this absence Of forests is fatal to |
he effects Of the scenery, IS we'll as to the
comforts And necessities Of man.
The scenery between Vera Cruz md Orizaya
IS varied and particularly init resting to a
traveller from Ohio or Indiana, who never
before saw m elevation of land more than a
feet In height. The first forty.ay
miles are performed By road through dull,
entire distance presents but one spot Of Inter-
est. The railway from Vera Cruz extends to
Paso del Maeho, forty EIGHT miles. One OF the
few stations upon the line Is called. Cana
rone," twenty miles from Vera Cruz,
ard is mere collection OF huts, cuntafufng
two or three hundred people. Here the sar-
risor, consisting OF sixt3-ave Frenchmen. In
cluding two officers aud a drummer, were sur
prised. on the Esd Of April, 1868, BY force Of
three hundred Mcxtcans- The French, who
were washing their horses in small branch
a lew huudred yasds from stone house
which served them for fort, fell back to
their delences. The drummer was wounded
Aoor. When he segatued consciousness he
found himeelf covered with the dead bodies
Of his comrades, every one Of whom were
slain by the Me1icaus. It was three days
after this terrible slaughter before the dsu,n-
mer reached the nearest military post, and
obtained the relief and attention which be SO
much needed.
At Paso del Macho, the traveller gets his
first taste OF Mexico as 1t Is. his first glimpse
oi the Imperial elephant Is BY no means tho
most pleasant, and caused fully one half the
erpigrnpts TO ut once retrace their steps,
without 1urther cultiyating the acquaintance
OF the animal. You are thrust into IN old,
dirty, di1apidated and rickety Troy coach,
which, under the euphoneous title or "deli-
- 10 Tn $rpt mt I'm nVdT
iains, charging therefor the moderate sum Of
forty cents per mile. The FIRST stage is made
with nine horses-tWo wheel horses; then
four are harnessed abreast, and three leaders
abreast. Two drivers are required to each
coach-nne driver holds the reins and guides
the etee0s, whilst the other phys the whip,
and keeps the leaders 10 their work, BY pelt-
supply Is taken aboard at every stopping
place. It requires strong arm and great
dexterity to guide the team salely-the road
belng over mountains, down teaEfol deel!vi-
ties, across yawnfng baraucas, whilst the
course is constantly fmpedel BY the crowds
Of teaIns aud vehicles OF every description
conveying goods from the 1ailroad TERMINUS
Into the interior. More than ordinary ak1l1
Is required to drive diligence over such
roads through such mass OF horses, mules,
oxen aud asses, carts, carriages and wagons,
without collision, and Is somew hat trying TO
weak nerves. Qnr Jehu proved worthy
disciple Of the one Of old, md landed Us here
in 0rizaya safe and In good order, considering
the rocks in the road, and the ioltiuEs our
corporations received whilst rushing at $40
gait down The mountains. If any THIDuSR
reader desires to visit Mexico, advise him by
all means to hold bis horses until after the
taitroad Is finished to her capital. If he be n
tel}esous man, It Will saye him many wicked
thong hts; If a man Of the world, bis vocab-
11tnrv 6n ffa GNhfArf frfxffrY
Our road, after leaving the railway. Was
over one oi the highways built by the Span.
iards, md which are enduring monuments Of
their skill, perseverance, and public spirit,
The mountains over which the road runs are
of fearful altitude, whose precipitous sides
the old Spanish engineers were uuappalled BY
these rocky barriers, and eventually over
came every obstacle, leaving, as the result of
/. their labors, splendid paved caneeNay the
whole distance between VeFh Cruz and the
city Of Mexico. The celebrated National
Bridge is upon another road between the two
cities, md which runs by jalBpa. Tho oulJ
way to ascend the mountains was by running
obli4uely up their sides, which In hundreds
OF instances exposed the traveller TO the dau-
ger OF being precipltated down the steep de-
clfylties hundreds Object into the dark chasms
below. To Ruard against such accctdents
walls Of stone, miles tn'ex1cnt, arc carried up
Of sufficient height to prevent horaes or
mules leaplng over them. The road had been
pared nearly the entire distance, but during
The last twenty years no repairs have been put
upon il, consequently the track became worn
out, and the ruad finally almost impossible.
One Of the hr1t acts Of Ma1lmilfan Was to or,
der this road put in good order. Thousands Of
men have been ut work upon it for over
one gear, and hundred miles Of the worst
portions have been macadamtzed, and now
present as finea piece ofcommon road as can be
found In the world. The bridges, are, many
Of them, perfect models OF engineering skill,
spanning deep barlancas hundreds Of feet wide,
stantial manner.
In the vicinity Of this city are to be found
abundant evidences Of the great earthquake
wbicn occurred In January. Several hacieu-
das were ruined, eTery building upon them
beng totally demolished. In olden timcs
cred mo great shakcs't-Ortzaya was then in
his glory, splitting out fire and Qame, and
thought notbfng Of throwing down whole
city ior mere pastime. The old fellow has
cooled OF since then. md is as 4ulet, peacea-
bic and we1l.behared as any llttlc hitlock In
Yankeedom. He looks like patriarch, his
venerable white head being lilte1 mile above
ary other mountain around.
The city o} 'Orizava possesses not half the
importance It bad In the days OF the Span
iardE-much OF It Is In ruins, especially the
suburbs, and Its cathedral, churches, houses,
and, indeed, everything about It, evinees age
and decay; The cathedral Is large and mag.
| me ~ such; but as I know little
about tine q meeting houses," my judgment
! Is not worth much. am told that this ca
[ tbedrBl Is mean and insignificant whcu CON-
pared With those Of the capital, San Louis
Potosi, Chihuahua, Guadalatarn, or Durango.
n tuw 41aA+r fft+{1t ~
dispute the taste Of my informant. The val
ley Of Offzava Is quite destitute Of trees, and
none are 10 be found around the cathedral,
and consequently the city Is not much
1requented by the fcathcted tribe.
The cornices, arches, pillars, &C., on the ca
thedra1 Afford secure places for birds to build
their nests npon. and hundreds Of spaErows,
wfcns, and Other small birds have made the
church their home, and there reared their
young unmolested for the last half century.
One bright afternoon visited tie cathedral.
Everything In the city was sill, and scarce
even breath Of air disturbed the quiet which
appeared 10 be spread over The whole valley,
before the different shrines, and everything
| seemed in unison with the stiffness OF nature.
\ Suddenly the great organ pealed forth . lew
low, tremulous notes, as If fearful. Of break
| Ing the spell. Soon, however, 1t poured out
a Joyous anthem, hut no sooner did IT, tones
I'LL 4uG oul44!uE I4Au AVE uuH0[Eu sHEllA< tEuf
| voices Joined in harmony. Every wren aod
| sparrow seemed te be inspired with melody,
| and ,yied with man In pralslng thelr, Creator,
| The effect was enchaItlngly grand and hub
| line Words cannot paint the emotions o
| the listeners, ut least those of this Yam,
kee:" doubt If another such choir existl
! In the world.
| have been here too short time to learr
much news, and from Appearances this is the
last place In the world for such matters.
robbery occurred at Paebla. q day or two
| ago, which is said by old residents to be {
tnlr specimen 1f Mexican character. a gen,
tlennan started from that city, with one sery
ing With him Considerable FUN Of money
A few miles ont his carriage was stopped b,
eiI men, In masks, who appropriated all tn
money and yaluahtes, and tied the hauis an<
feet Of the merchant aud bis servant, ant
were about stringing them Up to tree, whe1
the party was fired upon By some Mcxlca!
soldiers. Two Of the robbers we're killed
Upon examination, tie two killed proved t,
be TWO of the richest men In the Statet an
the wounded we're two Of the principal mel
chants In Puebla. 1t Is well known thai h
richest and most influential men Of the coul
try Often lead hauda Of robbers. Il aucces!
iul, they finally get toeether several hnndre
l men, join some one Of the parties who ar
striving for power, and thus become s'pe
triots'' and respectable citizens. Wei dl
Randolph call them 40 nation Of blankcte
thieves"
i great many Confederates are foun
around here, having been II the employ,
The railroad company, The company hi
discharged great many of Its men on 81
count ot hard times aud the rainy seasol
| Our .tSouthern brethsenn are thus throw
out ol a job-most Of them are hard up, an
I lour-filths Of them wish themselves back
4 their old homes.
The country between Arizona and We,
Cruz appears 10 be quite prosperous, and
rapidly assuming the appearance Of a ctvi
ired country. Tic working people, especial
the Indians, Who compose taree*fonrths
the population. are well satisfied with Il
present order of affairs and have no wish #
change. They haye had more qufet, mat
more Improvements and saved moro mou.
during the past two years than in ten yen
before. This would become great COUNT