Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-08

that ones peregTlnatlons must all be made
verv early in the morning or late at even
ing 1t is the universal custom to attend
mathis in the dim gray of the morning, and
afterwards TO walk before sunrise on the
mole, or pier, which extends away out into
the harbor, TO catch the fresh breezes blow
ing from the ocean and a glimpse of that
mysterious Isla de los SACRIFICES, where in
the old days sanguinary AZtecS sacrificed
the flower of their youth TO the gloomy
war god, Huitzilopotctli. The evening or
der of exercises is generally a horse-car
ride out 10 the ancient church of the Ala
media, TO hear vespers in CorteZ sanctuary,
and afterwards to lounge awhile with the
populace upon the plaster benches beneath
the cocoa palms. But later everybody re-
turns to the city. for a few hours of moon
light and music among the roses and spout
ing mermaidens of the Plaza de la Consti-
tucion.
The other evening we varied the mo-
notony by
A VISIT To THE MAIN PANTHEON.
In this latitude there is no twilight, but
the long summer days darken suddenly to
night, with no intervening cleaning 1t
must have been after Z o'clock when we
entered the gates of the great cemetery-a
vast city Of the dead (which is d thou
sand times more populous than the living
ones lying all aroundit; and before we were
aware of the laIeness Of the hour, darkness
settled down upon the forest Of tall black
crosses, and the moon came up 10 dimly
light our passage among them. The Wierd
fascination OF the scene is beyond the
power OF my pen TO portray. Low upon
the horizon lay the southern cross -
that superstition Of sailors which is seen
first with all its stars complete upon the
shores of the Gulf of Mexico Straying
about in the shadows, we were frequently
startled by the rustling Of wings-not an
gels, gentle reader, but SOpji0tes whose
evening slumbers we had disturbed, for
multitudes of these birds find a nightly
resting place upon the arms Of the
pantheon crosses. In the distance we
espied pale glimmer of light, which ap-
peared to be moving about in a ghostly
manner-the effect of wind blown branches
waving between, for investigation proved it
10 be a lamp, burning before the tomb of 4
lady who died in 1913
There are three immense cemeteries. con
nected by gates, the high walls which en-
circle them all in one being a succession of
vaults, whose square openings-iuSt wide
enough to admit the end of a coffin-are
piled six deep around the whole vast space.
The central portion is filled with the tall,
black-painted crosses aforesaid a mournful
forest haunted by buzzards. Most of the
graves DO duty for many tenants, piled one
above another; and several deep pits or
trenches are piled to the brim with victims
OF vomito and yellow fever.
During seasons of epidemic, when the
city is crowded with dead and dying,
stranger patients need not expect much
care, though the hospitals are many and
the nurses faithful. Money cannot buy,
nor Christian charity bestow. that for
which the demand is 50 much greater than
the supply. Ffightfui stories are told of
many wEo barely ESCAPED being buried
alive; and, alas only On the resurrection
day can it be known how many poor crea-
lures have actually met that terrible fate.
AMONG THE HORRIBLE STORIES
With which Vera Cruzans are wont 10
cheer visiting strangers, we are told that
only last year, as the driver of the cart
which conveys corpses from hospital TO
cemetery was making his nocturnal Jour
ney, be was frightened nearly out Of his
senses by one Of the cadayers suddenly
kicking the cover off his coffin and de-
handing to know his destination
Others, but carelessly buried by sleepy
workmen, have been known to uncarth
themselves, and have been found in the
morning slttin5 at the cemetery gates, AMY
a!LlFe't N winding sheets.
Il IS stated that, q lew years ago, an
American lady who was supposed to have
died during a season Of epidemic, was
about to be cast, Uncofiined, into the COM
mon pit with q score of Others. The sex
ton, observing a valuable ring upon her
finger, tossed her upon the ground upon
one side, intending to rob before burying
her. The shock Of the fall partially re-
stored her from the comatose condition
that frequently follows this disease, and
when the shovel had completed the re-
mainder Of his task and turned to securethe
jewel, he was surprised TO see the big blue
eyes unclose, which certainly had 'specula-
ton in them. Luckily but by rare
chance, he did not dash her lnto the wait
ing grave nor take to his heels in alright
but he carried the half conscious creature
back to the hospital where she was re-
stored to health. FANNIE B. WARD