Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-07
A MEXICAN WATERING PLACE.
Life at Aguas CaIientes, a Popular
Mexican Resort,


Mexican Resort,
The capital is one of the most beautiful
cities in Mexico, says a correspondent of
the st. Paul Pioneer Press, possessing the
glamor of age and historic interest and
the charm of mountain scenery. Two
ravines divide the city, which has a
magnificent plaza in its centre, with foun-
tains and quaint old statues. spreading
trees and blooming roses. Under its CRATE
lal shade and within sound of its cooling
waters, zarape-wrapped or rebosed figures
are always dreaming the happy hours
away" upon its pink-tinted benches: and
in evenings when the bands PLAY. aristo.
cratic Aguas Calientes deigns to represent
itself here by pretty senoritas of the dark
warm, southern type, and gorgeOusly at
tired ''masherse of the male persuasion.
who stroll about among the roses while
the music and the moonlight incites the
mischievous god, Cupid, to his worst be-
haVlor. The Mexican gallant is never so
handsome as when frantically Jealous or
madly in lOYe-intO either of which con-
dItions he is ready to fall on smallest
proyOcation; and then his fire, or fury, as
the case may be, is charming-as a study!
me great attraction of the tOwn-that
which fills its hotels with health-seekers,
and keeps them here after the coveted
boon has been attained-is the celebrated
warm springs. They bubble up-bring-
ing healing from the earth, and heated in
natures labOratory-in several parts of
tne city, and in two places have been
covered with cOmmodious bath houses. con-
tanning every modern convenience. Both
these baths are reached by horse-car.
This is very old place, the extensive
ADOBE structures inclosing the springs
have been built more than two centuries
ago. For % cents you hire a room, which
has nothing in 1T but an elevated platform,
upon which is a mating and a chair. q
peg Tor your clothes, and flight of steps
leading down into square, shallow
pool of shallow water. The dark
proved man in attendance, who looks
like an ex-brigand, brings you towels and
sheet, and leaves you to your own
devices, with the professional advice
thrown IN that from five to ten minutes is
6dStdRte tempo time enOugh) to remain
IN the water, for too long a bath here is as
injurious as an overdose of medicine
There are not more than three feet of de-
lghtully warm water upon the pebbly
bottom, from which it ooZes and acts as a
litter; but such are its strong mineral
properties that one may float upon it. as
on Salt Lake, in Utah, at the same depth.
The surroundings of these springs are
very beautiful, with the tern-draped
heights for a background, crowned with
the ruined ''easas" of a previous century.
The trees of this section are much larger,
and the foliage more .luxuriant, than in
nlgher attitudes, and a haze is
always hanging upon the landscape. The
overflow of the springs form a river of
slightly warm mineral water, which for
miles is lined with people, in all stages of
dress and undress, and presents an end
less row of heads peePing above the bank,
the clear, shallow stream securely hiding
the squatting figures, male and female,
who patroniZe it thus amicably together,
at all hours, and without the fOrmality OF
bathing dresses. The lower class Next
can is social animal, and not an i'm
modest One-according to his way of think
ing and childlike innocence of conven-
tionalities. Really, the display here is
not much worse than may be seen at any
of our fashionable seaside resorts among
upper-tendom, and l venture to assert
that the hearts of these children of nature
are cleaner of impure ideas, though their
clothes may be scantier.