Daily Republican., 1883-04-20
Letter from Mexico.
Co orrespondence of the REPUBLICAN.

I
CITY OF MEXICO, March rs, 1888
The winter has been rather IL surprise
to immigrants, AZ rains have not been
infrcquent. December, it is said, al
ways furnishes showers, las lagrymas
del ans veijo,' the tears Of the old
year; this season, however, every
month since September has had tears
of its own, much to the apparent sur
prise of our oldest inhabitant. Perhaps
incoming Americans will overturn the
habits of nature az well as of natives
Our great elevation, however, coupled
with u vertical sun, insures a delight
ful climate at all seasons; Sin the
tropics, but not of them" should be a
national motto.
This city must have the credit of being
well protected; one regulation Of the
night police might be adopted to advan
tage in the States naIne y: each officer is
provided with u lantern, which is set in
the middle of the street generally at
the crossings), Immediately opposite his
stand all vehicles avoid these lanterns
with scrupulous care, and one can tell
at n glance just where q policeman is
stationed. He may be asleep, but you
know where to find him at any rate, and
that is more than can be truly said OF
the force in many cities of the north.
Street disturbances are rare, partly no
doubt, because the popular drink is
pulque instead of whisky; this mild
product of the maguey plants contains
little alcohol its appearance is not
unlike city milk, and the flavor is
decidedly yeasty. A taste for III is more
often acquired than natu raj, but the
beverage is highly recommended rs an
aid to digestion. Confirmed dysreptics
from the States give it the credit OF
aiiording permanent relief, but cannot
speak on this point from persona.
experience.
We have many suburbs of interest to
strangers. was one of Il party which
visited Santa Anita Il short time since
this is almost purely \ village of In
dians, and is a favoritt amusement re-
sort of the poorer classes of Mexico and
the surrounding country. Access is
had from the city by the canal leading
to lakes Chalco and Xochomlco; Il boat
was hired for the day with crew com
plete, Gone man), price, $3.50, which
does not seem excessive for twelve per
sons. Thrnsting his pole to the bottom
of the canal our gallant boatnan pro-
PEELED his craft with grace, if not swift
ness The water course is lined with
handsome trees, atfording sufficient
shade, with the help of an awning, to
relieve physi ,al nature from oppressive
heat, thus leaving the mind free to en-
Joy entrancing vistas of the blue wall
of mountains hedging us in like fairy
battements, buttressed far tothe South
by the towering peaks of Popocatapetl
and lxtaccihuatl.
| Under such circumstances no one
cared how long The journey lasted, but
in the course of time another cOnsidera-
ton intruled-namely, hunger-and
au sorry to say that the newcomer sue
ceeded in routing all poetic ideas. The
boat was quickly headed into smaller
stream, between clover fields, beneath q
wide spIeading Eucalyptus, and for
season the outside world was an I'M
known quantity. Santa Anita wa!
finally remembered, and we soon jOine'
the throng on its principal street. On
each hand are adobe dwellings,, eacl
| tuu tNtiy oIVb ~ SHcP io' "'si' VI b"'l"'
tortillas, tomales, dulces or other native
delicacies, while the walk is lined will
exquisite flowers, in wreaths or stiff bo
uuets. Many establishments offer r'ld'
music or stringed instruments, also
shaded retreats where one can recline OF
mats while enjoying the various attrac'
ti6ns. Rope swings are innnmerable
patroniZed mostly by women, will
SIX irts tied modestly around the ankles
Returning down the canal towards
evening. we encounter the tide of travel
which sets outward after noon All
sizes and styles OF water crafts abound
from the narrow canoe of our western
Indians, carrying one pa ssenger only,t'
immense fiat Scows with capacity TO
one hundred persons or more. All art
happy-shouting, singing, dancing, o
at least langhing-with people of Latil
blood; amusement seemsto he the che
end of existence. while Saxon races tir
from pleasure quite as quickly us iron
labor. IS. II. 4.