The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-05-19
ON THE RIO GRANDE.
Msxicsns and Their Methods.--At the
Bsth, and in their Hevels;- How they
live Love and bury their Dead "a
Mexican Funeral and CITY Oh 'hc DoAu'

DAY was JUST picHhi"S "'N' ' 49,
oueet Mains and the chapparel was sway,
INC fea,hery-llke in the early dawn as our
train drew ap at the depot in Laredo, and
we emerged from Pullman, after nights
ride over the prairled plains of southern
Texas. At last we had reached the boun
dry line that divides the American and theI
Greaser, and we stood upon The banks OIL
the wonderous
RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE--
"The Grand River of the North!'
AS we rode through the town on top oil a
bus, we were not favorably impressed with
Its appearance seeing 1t for the first time,
and especially in the dawn OF early morn
Ing it strikes one as having the appear
ance or town decidedly fresh although
1t is one of the Oldest towns IN southern
Texas. Sandy streets that cross each other
in all directions; houses of the usual adobe
STYLE. but much better than the average
Mexican jacal ("Hack-hal,') many OF
which are plastered on the outside, which
gives them a more pleasing appearance
than the sombre sun-drlcd brick adobe,
On the plaza, as in all towns in this sunny
cline stands the cross-crowned church,
where the faithful worship several times a
day, and from which ediilce radiate in
all directions the grand (9) thoroughtarcs,
such as they are--narrow, dusty and dirty,
and lined with the mud built adobes and
huts, through whose doors ajar' and
within may be seen the halfdressed wo-
men and naked little cherubs. Here and
there in spots wooden structure tower.
above the musqueet, indicating that the
Yankee has reached the Rio Grdnde, and
already his wooden castle is seen a story
and a half above the mud.built adobes.
Away to the north, cast and west
stretches the sand.blown waste OF uninhab.
tied country, with naught to relieve the
dreary monotony but the stunted growth
of musqueet and chapparel, while here
and there may be seen cactus or Spanish
dagger, alkall and sagebrush dotting the
plain like waste.
As we reached the hotel, old Sol, which
IN this latitude never leaves the world long
out of sight, came peeplng up behind the
eastern hills, and Int the region with trop
zeal lusture. Day with its fortunes soor
set in, and few hours later the natives, a
is their custom, had retired for their ate
breakfast sieStd-alternoon sleep.
Alter dinner we walked to and stood upoI
the banks of
THE RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE,
which here winds serpenune-llke, but il
not at all the grand and majestic sight ont
would expect to see from its high soundin!
name. THE Grand River of the North,
at this point, Is winding, shallow stream
beside which the Fox or Illinois are roar
ing rivers. On the American side the bank
slope gently down, and then sandy ba
of some five hundred feet interyenes be
tween that and the water. Beyond, on tn
Mexican side, the banks are more abrupt
and God was not so bountful IN shor
privileges to the swarthy Mexlcans as IL
the name OF this Mexican town, is scattered
along the bank for Il mile or two and bscl
an equal distance, while far away, above
below and beyond, the musqueet and chap
parel is seen dottng the sandy plains @
Mexico.
AS stood upon the bank taking IN tn
vista, down from the town came the Men
lean cavalry to water their horses and was
themselves. They numbered about tw
hundred or more, and to me presented a
interesting sight, as they were in 'ful
dress" which consists simply of a sombrer
and a pair of spurs! At least two
thirds OF the Cabellaros were as nude a
Adam, although quite number of mel
women and children stood on the bsnl
But that was mild compared to the seen
that presented itself later IN the Afternoon
About o'clock z. NJ. the entire popult
ton, 1t would seem, go Gown to the rive
to battle Men, women and children ente
the water, not in such loud bathing suit
as characterize the denzens that throa
our summer watering places, and some AZ
scanty enough to shock the modesty of an
moral personnel it is fashionable, an
therefore allowable-but the Mexicans el
ter the water III the full light of day 6
nudely but not go lnnocently as Adam an
Eve when they took their bath in the foo
OF the Euphrates. The MeXicans of eth,
sex think nothing of this, and never CIV
the lmmodest appearance of it a though
while the blushlcss nsiads are never d.
tered by observers from displaying the
sullied charms to God, men and fishe
In this it cannot be that they are follow
ing the ways of their Spanish ancestor
who shrunk from water In the form OF a
luton or the practice OF the old saints an
monks who regarded dirt MS a par. of pet
II Is said that priests In those days used
warn their female communicates not
battle publicly, saying that twas wlcke
and to sanction their belief they pontC
out for examples
susanna AND BETHsHEBA
in the scriptures, and of La Cava, who
bathing under the royal palace OF TOleC
caused the downfall Of the Gothic mo