New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-28
Ckapultepec.

| Cnapultepec' is just about as far from
| town as Guadalupe, the shrines of authority
| and OF religion being each exactly three
miles off, Strange enough their city cen
! ters, cathedral and palace are on the same
| square. The ride thither is over charm
| ing avenue, called the Empress road, for a
| long time called the road Of the Mad Wo-
| man. 1t is straight as an arrow path from
an Aztec bow, lined with young trees; well
wet at least half its way, and every thing
but safe. That you may take the risk Of.
Carriage riders or horsemen may fnd them
selves lighter OF purse and heavier of heart
before they reach the city streets, though,
they are only a mile out. But morning
brings no danger, or at least fears none. A
prancing horse that has only known the
saddle gayly dances with you as his partner
from the Alemeda to the gate of the
grounds. There you dismOunt, if you 80
DESIRE or pass in. and on, and up.
The first thing that strikes you is the
woods. People have been often struck
with their substance. They are more an
Gent than the palace. They are the tall,
broad limbed cedars which Yosemite de-
lights in. Some are twenty feet through.
Large groves Of them linger round the base
OF the hill. Several are very large, and one
rises to the dignity of bearing Montezuma's
name.
Here, too, are the baths of Montezuma,
the best Just outside the grounds. Much
frequented are they yet, though not by
him, unless his spirit needs abIutien, as
most spirits do, at least when in the flesh
The one inside the gate is walled hole in
the ground. 1t lie close to the entrance and
is dry. But few rods further of, in what
was undoubtedly bis park, there bubbles
up forty feet the clearest, sweetest pool l
ever saw for bathing. Fifty feet square is
the bowl, forty feet deep. You can see the
moss and ferns growing on the bottom, and
behold the hole in the rock whence the
waters gush out. There to plunge found
delightful after racy ride Of an hour, Just
as the sun was following Chapultepec, and
with only cup of coffee between my ap-
petite and last nights supper A shallOwer
basin, paved and walled to suit those who !
can not swim, adjOins the fOunt, and is |
hardly less luxurious; while ladies have a |
suit OF similar Injuries adjoining, all open |
ing in ceaseless gardens.
Taking this swim, we can drive through |
the woods, that open in some places to |
quite respectable forests. We climb up the |
hill past two grim idols still remaining hid |
den in the foliage, the gods OF Montezuma.
The sides are barren OF all trees, save the |
Peru or pepper tree, sort of willow look
ing bush that grows to quite height and |
sOiidlty at times, and grows everywhere.
The dryest and hottest soils are not too
dry nor too hot tor II. Red berries hung in
clusters over it, the choice fruit of birds,
though startlingly pungent to man.
The court just below the top stops the
horses, and a few steps land the visitor
amid cool and shady garden, surrounded
by broad verandas, where the singing and
shining birds Of the country VERY different
species here, as elsewhere) shine in their
exquisite plumage, or melt in more exquis-
tie song. Long suits of rooms command
the superb valley, it's city, villages, plains,
lakes and mountains. No such panorama
has any other palace in the world. Wind
sor, the next most beautiful, is tame to this.
chonbrunn, Potsdam, Fontainebleau and
all are fat and cheap TO this rare combina-
ton. But then one is apt to live longer in
these palaces and to die more natural
death, and SO is content with humber
Iuxuries. From Montezuma to Macmillan
the occupants OF this hill palace have many
Of them made Q violent exit from their
troublous hOnors. Juarez dared not stay
lere after nightfall without a large body
yuard, and it is abandoned to occasional
State breakfast, the heart of the city being
nd ged . safer residence.-Bishop Gilbert
7ars,, in Hasper's Magazine for July.