The Russellville Democrat., 1883-05-24
amerous and too difficult to men

numerous and too difficult to men
ton.
The military headquarters at San
Tone is place well worth visit g.
1t is two miles from the CITY proper,
is located ON s beautiful hill. A
tower 100 lcet in height crowns the
top Of the eminence, from the top Of
Which a splendid view OF the city is
to be had. Four companies of u. S.
soldiers are stationed here. The
grounds and buildings, which are of
the most beautiful and substantial
character, are owned by the Federal
Government. The grounds alone
cost $4,000.
We lett San Antonio at 0 O'Clock
Tuesday night, the Sth, and arrived
at Laredo at six o'clock next morn
ing Here we stop one hour for
breakfast and to change cars for
Monterey. From Laredo to Monte
rey the road is narrow gauge; so we
have to leave our special sleepers on
the side track till our return to La
redo.
Crossing the Rio Grand mile be-
low Laredo, we bid an affectlonate
farewell to Uncle Sans dominion
and enter the Republic of Mexico.
For many miles we traverse vast
barren plain, where We see nothing
but chapparel and cactus. This
cactus plant is the same as we have
in some parts of the states, except
that it is much greater in abundance
and more enormous In size, some of
it growing to a height of eight or
ten feet.
We pass few small villages along
the road south Of Laredo, consisting
principally Of adobe houses and in
habited solely by Mexlcans. Not
very inviting to the capitalist seek
ing an investment.
AT o'clock p. m. Wednesday the
9th, we reached the end of our jour
ney- Monterey, the city, so full oil
history, around which clusters so
many recollections Of the past.
Built in the ancient style of archi-
lecture, Monterey nestles in lovely
valley, surrounded by mountains
whose majestic towering peaks near
their lofty SUBMITS high up into the
clouds. These mountains are simply
grand and sublime upon which nc
lover of natures andeur will ever
tire of gazing. : amusing to
know how easil me IS deceived u
distances here. / Il see small hill
as it seems, lyi. Z but a short dis
lance away--seemlngly not more
than half mile, and not more than
a few hundred feet in height: you
feel an almost irresistible desire to
scale it; you obey the impulse and
start out, expecting to reach the top
in half an hour You walk and walk,
and climb on, and on, and the far
Their you go the higher seems the
mountain above you. 1t is about
this time that there steals over you
an irresistible desire to turn round
and 90 back and resolve never to be
guilty of such folly again. Such is
the experience of several of our par
| ty, your correspondent among the
number.
Monterey is city of about 5000
inhabitants, so we are tod. The
houses with few exceptions, are
low, one story buildings, of the most
solid and durable character. the
walls being from two to three feet in
thickness; not only the walls, but
the floors and roofs as well, are prin-
cipally of stone. AS rule there is
very little ventilation, which conveys
the idea of intolerable heat; but ev-
eryone is surprised to see how cool
and pleasant the rooms are, owing
to the thickness of the walls. Little,
if any attempt is made at outside
display or ornamentation. All the
buildings, residences and business
houses in the principal part of the
city, have an open courtyard in the
center, which is adorned and beauti-
fed according to the means and
taste of the owner.
AT certain seasons of the year the
Mexicans hold carnival, or as they
term it, ''feast." They congregaLe
upon the plaza, where you will see
divers booths or stands erected; here
are displayed for sale the various ar
ticles of fancy goods, notions, confec-
tionery, ETC., all the product of their
peculiar skill. Our American ely
ing jenny" is here seen in various
forms, for the amusement of the
young. But the prominent feature
of these feasts is the multiplicity
and variety of gambling devices tc
be seen all over the grounds. Every
imaginable form of gaming, from
the "nickle-a throw" dice box to the
long cardtaDle where thousands of
dollars are staked on single game,
is seen in the adjacent buildings, in
tents and in the open air. 1t is only
upon these stated occasions that the
authorities permit this indiscrimi-
nate public and unlicensed gambling.
Monterey has 1t hot sprilgs, but
they are inferior any respects to
our hot sprine The prircips'
spring shows wing analy
Giltao aid c. "a,