The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-08
Our Special Correspondent in the
Land of the Montezumas and the
Mescelerios.

/ meSCel6TlOS.
SANTARosA, Mexico, July 81, 1881.
/ Editor Statesman:
To one familiar with the great
valleys of the Conchos and the Pc
cos and the intervening tables, but
little novelty is presented in the to-
biographical features of this country
from Peidras Negras to the noun
tains. The irrigation bitches with
the long lines of green trees that
mark their course from the sources
of water supply to the distant vii
lagos which they nourish and beau
tify, bear striking resemblance to
the narrow skirts of elm and cotton
wood, which often fringe the little
streams that course some of our ex-
of the prairie dog towns and the
eternal yelp which greets, follows
and sickens the traveller, there
is, perhaps, compensated here in the
frequent incursions of the Mescale-
rios, Lipans, or San Carlos gueril-
los, who alternately patrol and levy
highway imports, without discrimi-
nation upon the luckless sojourners
over this route. Their operations
are all the more interesting as their
| system of revenues includes not
simply per centage ON transport
able values, but the entire inventory
of baggage, vehicles, teams, deneriO
and scalps.
The large valley of the Rio
Grande is irrigable from the Rio
Escondido, and has a splendid main
leading from the vicinity of Moline
San Juan Baptiste, near the village
OF Fuente, which is in turn
watered from the Ojo De Cara
Crossing thence an elevated PLAIN !;
from point opposite Rancho Ma
roma, the villages of Nava on the
left and ZaragoZa on the right, ap-
pear III the distance, while that of
Morales is seen directly in front.
The three containing $4,000 inhabi-
tants, living principally upon the
products of their gardens and the in
come of their carts. The people live
in towns, and have their cultivable
lands altogether tor convenience of
irrigation. They seem to have Sc
cured the chief disadvantages of the
commune without any of its system
or order, hence there is little of in
dividuality and less of incentive to
personal effort for any change or
progress. For six miles are the
most magnificent fields of corn and
sugar cane, subdivided only by
bitches and wholly unenclOsed by
any sort of fence.
From the Cabeseras, at the foot of
Peyotas hills, the source of the water
supply for these farms to the Rio
Alamos, distance of As miles is
without water, except partial sup
plies. in the ArroyOs. Chaco, San
Jose and Cincontle. The Rio Ala
mos is a splendid running stream of
crystal water, about the size of the
San Saba or Llano, and is an
agreeable relief from the arid plains
above and behind. Three miles
further south is the Rio Sabinas,
somewhat larger in size, flowing
through one of the finest valleys in
the Republic. Near their junction
is San Juan de Sabinas, dilapidat-
| ed adobe village abundantly sup
piled with bitches, water and fer
tile lands it is also sort of mill
tary out post for the state forces os-
tensibly guarding the frontier.
Along the Sabinas is the finest
timber seen south and west of Aus
tin and far surpasses any to be
found there. 1t consists of elm,
blackberry, ash, oak, cypress and pc
can. About ten miles to the
front are the Santa Rosa mountains,
which for forty miles seemed like a
black cloud against the horizon, at
the base of which in fine valley
stands the old city of Santa Rosa,
founded nearly two hundred years
ago, as its ancient look fully attests.
Though Notwithstanding its weather
beaten appearance, it bears many
evidences of a civilization far above
that of the present day. 1t was
once favorite resort and residence
of Spanish grandees who, desiring
TO cultivate feudal ideas and avoid
revolutions, sought here refuge and
immunity from the authority of the
successive masters of the empire.
rhe style architecture seems like
that bequeathed by the conquering
Moors to colonial Spain, each resi-
dence enclosing a central court, sur
rounded by massive walls along
which are arranged tenement and
storage rooms as we'll as stables for
stock, all under the same roof, the
whole bearing more the appearance
of q fort than a family home. The
houses are one story high the walls
are of adobe about three to four feet
| fhialy MIA snCi6n and mt Il
a kind of rude cement on TERRA
BlancO, in some instances decorated
with colors and simple designs,
but in all cases singularly defective
in the essentials of lighting and ven
tilatiOn, as well as the most simple
of modern conveniences. The roofs
are matched with native grasses or
tule, sometimes covered with a
species of burnt clay thing,
but more frequently with cross
beams and dirt, as on the Texas
frontier. Through all parts of the
town are secas, or bitches, of pure
running water, sufficient for domes-
tic or irrigation purposes, and, as a
consequence, the yards and gar
dens are succession of delightful
bowers, in which ornamental shade
and heavily laden fruit trees mingle
and entwine in romantic confusion,
with elegant effect. Beneath these
rustic arches the artless senOrita
bends blushingly over the an
tigue metal, grinds out the in
digestble tortia and proportions her
hash and pepper with grace wOr-
thy her mixed Spanish and Aztec
lineage. The sedate sonora kneels
by stone slab ON the bank of the
running ditch and masters all the
mysteries of the modern laundry
with sovereign contempt of the
usual appliances of fire, wood, soap,
tub, bucket, dashboard, boiler or
patent wringer, in a manner that
would put John Chinaman to
shame, while the sterner sex, as a
rule, smoke, lounge or otherwise
represent the proprietary dignities
of the establishment, their chief en-
ergies being expended i'll devising
eXpedients to avert the primal
Course of our race. "By the sweat
of thy brow, etc." is an orthodox,
but not a popular doctrine. They
do not seem even to appreciate the
dignity of labor" Though the
irrigable valleys are susceptible of
the most profitable culture, and the
mountains TEEN with valuable ores,
there seems to be a general distaste
for productive industry, the favor
lite employment of the lower classes
being such apologies for labor as
driving an Oyerladen team or pack