Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-14
LIFE In MEXICO.

Some Very DIssgreeabIe Drawbacks,
In LIS latest published letter from Mexico
to the New York EUeRiRg Post, Mr.. BTy-
ant says:
On the slope of Chapultepec we passed
the large basin of copiOus spring, forty
feet in depth, and so clear that the bottom
seems almost close to the eye. A rapid
stream rUshes from it, and is received in
stately aqueduct, which carries it off to the
City Ct Mexico on its tall arches, resembling
those which cross the Roman Campagna.
Looking to the south you see another and
larger aqueduct, which strides across the
plain ringing water from a more distant
point. Lower down on the slope of the hill
gushes from the ground another spring,
no less copious, which supplies cOmmo-
dious baths, public and private, and then
flows on 10 irrigste the fields, marking its
course by tracks of verdUre. Leaving these
behind us we followed the road little dis
lance to the village of Tacubaya, situated
on ground somewhat elevated above the
plain, and noted for its beautiful country
seats, the property of opulent families in
the city. We entered and wandered over
one of these-the EscaudOn estate, as it is
called, from the name of the family oWBing
it. 1t was a perfect labyrinth of walks
among fruit trees and Towering shrubs.
The walks twining through the grove are
somewhat neglected, to be sure. Here
and there were towering over the palms the
fruit trees. A spacious mansion stood in
atle midst Of an ample flower garden.
Z "Is not the family THEREOF l asked.
"No,o was the answer; "the family is
safer in town. The members sometimes
come out to visit this place in the daytime,
aud return by daylight, but they never ven
ture 10 remain here over night. They might
be robbed, and perhaps kidnapped and
nude to pay heavy rahsOm."
looked round on the orange trees drop
ping their fruit, and on the neglected walks
where the weeds were be''nning to make
their appearance, and, beautiful as the
place was, did not much wonder that it
was not more carefully tended by those
who are able to enjoy its beauty only by
snatches, or in constant fear of a visit from
baDditti.
That Tacubaya was not a safe place for
those who had anything to lose, had
proof before got home, for arriving at the
railway station Just before sunset, 1 entered
the cars amid crowd of people returning
to town, aud soon after having occasion to
consult my watch l found that it was
missing.
The most unsafe place, however, at pres
ent seems to be the railway between this
city and Puebla. The newspapers here give
accounts Of attacks made by robbers on the
trains conveying pulque, which is. the
beverage drawn from the plant called
here the maguey. These attacks, how
ever, have been generally re-
pulsed. Not so fortunate has e5n the Su-
perintendent and Paymaster of the railway
which is yet constructing between Puebla
and Orizaba, Mr.. Quin, whom l saw the
day after my arrival, just retu asd from an
adventure with the robbers. They seized
him when he happened 10 be without mon
ey, took away his watch, and after
detention Ct two hours, bargained with him
for his release on the payment of fifty dol
lars which he brought them, and they re-
leased him his watch. But the watch be
was not to keep, for two days afterWard
heard that they found him with sixteen
hundred dollars on his person, and took
that and the watch also. Soon afterward
news came that Mr.. Quin was kidnapped
a third time. He had no money, and after
OBTAINING him a day or two the robbers al
lowed him to depart with the message to
his employers that if forty THOUSAND dollars
were not Immediately sent them, they
would ear up the iron rails. The money,
howeyn~, las not been paid, and the railway
is vel Untouched. The leader of these ban
dts is one Neerete, who calls himself Cen
eral, and claims to be a Reyolutionist, in
stead Of rQbber.