Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-02-16
IN Aso Asovr r8e err OF MEXICO.


NUmBERv.
TO the CHRoNIcLE:
The national coat-of-armsu of the
RepssblicG Meric1ssG is an eagle, sit
ting upon a cactus plant, holding a
serpent in his appraised beak. There
is curious legend related OF the
origin of these arms-with the ex-l
ception of the serpent, which il pre-
sumed to have been added later.
Once, upon time, it is said, the
founder of the city came and stood
upon the edge of the great Valley,
which was then but marshy lake,
with the cactus growing here and
there in the shallow places. He
was looking for place to found his
future nation. An eagle was soar
ing about up in the clouds. He
resolved that it should be sign
from the gods that wherever the
eagle should alight, there would he
build his city. The eagle descend
ed and perched upon great cactus
far out in the lake, and then much
of the water hccomInodatingly went
away, and the city was founded,
and the national emblem of Mexico
has always been an eagle, sitting
upon a cactus.
This plant grows everywhere; l
have seen them ten and fifs.sn feet
high. with spikes as large asa u<rsi.
Many species of the plant prooree q
fruit which is held in high esteem,
and during its season, constitutes a
great proportion of the poor Next
cans diet.
The natives eat large quantities Of
fruit.-ln fact, they almost live on
it, and it is very abundant in kind
and quantity, and remarkably
cheap. Around Cordoba and OriZa-
b.. especially, on the way up from
Vera Cruz, crowds Of Indian wom-
en gather round the station, laden
" i;h huge baskets filed with all
kinds Of fruit, which they offer sat
almost ridiculous prices-large, lus-
cious pineapples for six cents, a
peck of oranges for the same sum,
and mangoes, bananas (pLctdnOsl,
agudcdtes, and dozen other varie-
ties of the finest CT fruits, are almost
given away. Out of every ten
Americans who go from Vera Cruz
to the City of Mexico for the first
time, nine feel most uncomfortable
when they reach their destination,
and swear off from eating any more
Mexican fruit until they become
fully acclimatized but no one can
resist it for long.
The poorer classes of the Mexicans
must find it difficult thing to live.
So, at least, every one thinks who
sees the great herds of men, women
and children, some in enforced idle
ness-many in preferred idleness.
But it is not at all a difficult thing
to live-as they live, and many of
them live entirely without money
entering their lives. Some live in
the interior of the country, in hut
or tent made of cornstalks, straw,
or reeds, upon few acres OF land,
which produces for them bananas,
oranges, chile, and above all, the
invaluable naGg,ey. From this
they obtain their puIq,te, which is
at once drink and One-half their
food the women beat its fibres and
weave them into garments; chick
ems are raised, and possibly beef, or
a pig or two. They pay their rent
out of their produce, as the Irish
poor do, (but the Mexicans have
rich ground and less rent to pay.
In the city they can live for a few
cents day, as they eat nothing but
q .trVoIes and fruit, which
is easily gathered in abundance.
And they have great many small
industries which they seem to find
but which is hard to COM
prehend as being so, taking into
the amount of labor
and time expended, and the selling
prices of the results. Among these
are small jugs and pots made of
clay and roughly decorated, and
(of the saints, etc., of the
same material; tiny birds made of
silk of different shades wound upon
4 wire foundation, and initiating to
4 surprising degree the shape and
color of the particular bird each
they also arrange deli
cate feathers upon cardboard so as
painting. l have seen a
several feet square, which
any one would take to be an oil
painting, until by close inspection
ne discovers that every line and
every color is made of small natural
feathers, carefully gummed upon
he base of the picture. And it is
he lowest and most degraded class
If Mexican Indians who do this.
The country is plentifully stocked
With small birds of the most vivid
,olors, and of the softest and most
lelicate tinges.
While in Vera Cruz, / paid
yisit to the fort OF San Juan d'Ulna.
t is now used as prison, and pitia-
lie indeed is the lot of the offender
n accused who is placed there. A
Gentleman of our party had a note
f introduction to the Governor of
he fortress, and we were received
With great politeness, and escorted
yer the whole works. AS soon as
re entered the large courtyard, it ,
eing the dinner hour, when the
aptives are allowed to eat their {
heals in the sun, we were surround i
4 by a crowd, each of whom had
to sell US, some product s
T his industry while in confine-