The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-11-27
QUAINT SPECTACLE.
UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS OF A MEXICAN
MARKET DAY.
Picturesque Scenes Out of the Usual Line
of Travel Haciendas of the
Valley OF the Lerma-
Stock In Trade.
Mexican Cor. New York SUM-

- -
sweep Of green thinly yelled here and there
by streaks Of mist, shading into purple and
blue How wide the outlook Isl IL seems
endless, becaue the further limit is undis-
tinguishable from the sky, AMI long way
1t is, seventy five miles as tho crow flies, to
the famous volcanoes, only visible now as
their snowy tops catch the sun, and with
difficulty d.stinguishabls from the cloud
crests behind. From our lofty vantage
ground we command two valleys. This to
the westward Is the valley OF the Lerma,
one of the longest Of the Mexican rivers,
dominated by its own lofty peak the extinct
volcano of Nevada de Toluca. As the train
Winds In and out among the pine covered
,ills, catching glmpses first Of one ami then
,f the other valley. one needs to keep his
bearings well to know which for the M unent
lies beneath him.
The descent into the valley OF ths l. rmt
In even more delightfu than the scent from
Mexico. The prospect Is not perhaps 70
comprehensive, but one drops down more
abruptly and secs things more distinctly
At intervals Of our long spins around mule
shoe curves cut in the face Of the mountai
In the course OF which we almost completely
encircled two old towns 50 close that We
could fairly see down into the court yards
Of the houses. The eye took in an immense
stretch OF valley cultivated 10 its full
capacity, marked Off with rows of maguey
or century plants and alternating in plants
Of red soil, freshly titled, and in green and
yellow blocks Of grain. The whole city OF
which we now get, with each opening OF the
hills, adistincter view, is Toluca. The ride
over the mountains in the intervals
where tie broader prospects just
described, are cut of is will and
K.fn t. r.
pin around curves and up and down grades
which would be utterly impracticable with
any but a narrow gauge, with any engine
but one all driving wheels and the best air.
brake equipment You plunge into tun-
uel only to shoot out over u spidery iron
bridge in a way so like q leap into tho air as
to stGrtle you.
In the valley Of tho Lerma are great haci-
eadns, with arched gateways and red tiled
roof, and projecting rife towers at the cor
ncrs-veritable fortres eS You may he =
sure the wealthy don who owns 1t. has
vas'nlage like feudal lord and vast flocks,
and that when he Wits the market at
Tuluca, he wears a sombrero covered with
gold or silver lace, and full pint of silver
buttons down the outer seam OF his close
Fitting brooches, and has a heavily cha,ed
revolver at either hip HI heavily auI
cred TANKS and silver-mountel trappings is
not less gorgeous than himself
My dest ination on this trip Yves little old
town in tho mountains, back IRON the rail-
road, 100 miles from Mexico. There have
been mines in and about FL Orc since before
The conquest, so that it is Il settled commun-
ity, with inherited notions Of its own. One
sees panier-laden donkeys 10 the streets,
women coming and going with jars Oh their
heads TO the old fountain in the plaza, AMI
the pigs enjoy the freedom Of the town.
There Is neither hotel nor inn Why SHOULD
there be! The natives never go anywhere
why should anybody come to tbemi or the
5000 estimated pc; ulat ton, not above a
score, dare say, have ever been fifty miles
from home. The plaza is shaded by tall
gum or eucalyptus treos. such as you see
everywhere in Mexico. For years the peo-
pie have labored in the shafts and tunnels,
and for years, on Sundays, the Indians on
the hills and haciendas about have brous ht
their supplies and held market in the plaza.
One of these markets IL a quaint spectacls.
Nothing In Mexico has seemed TO me more
picturesque AMI more suggestive OF the con-
ditions Of the Mexican social problem The
Indians begin to pour in from all directions
with the first light, some, indeed, to secure
favorable locations, have campsd on the
spots where you find them When / ar
rived, at o'clock the day attended, 300 or
400 persons were already assembled, seated
about In rows on the hard tagging with
their wares spread out before them 1t
was pleasing picture, with its setting of
low, tile-roofed, whitewashsd I'D the
general animation, and the plenitude
Of color, gay rsbosas and zerapes,
swarthy skins, glossy black hair, and
bright eyes. Tho Indian, with his Span
ish admixture, Is not Ill looking, and Juan,
in his white cottons, sandals, and broad
brimmed straw hat and zerape carried
jauntily on his arm, and Chucha in her
single short gown, girdled at the waist, with
bust and shoulders indiirerently covered,
both possess points of beauty for the artist
whose eye is not too exacting A low hum
Of conversation fills the air. From half
dozen fires smoke and fumes ascend from
cauldrons in which lard Is being fried out,
and a cloud Of chat surrounds the peidlers
OF maize, busy winnowing their grain by
tossing 1t into the air In the intervals OF |
trade. Umbrellas are extemporizei Of mats
and the dealers In fusible sweets protect |
their wares from the sun by utilizing their
wraps for awnings.
Fruits there are, Of course, and greens In |
endless variety. Red pottery, oddly orna- |
mented In black designs; huge water Jugs |
and pitchers that would make decorators OF |
drain-tile sick with envy; their earthen-
ware tortillas griddles, two feet in diameter,
that resound to blows like gongs; plates,
three for a centavo: pitchers two and grid |
dies one, respectively, for tlaco-one
might fill his pantry shelves for shilling.
For another shilling he could buy lava
stone metate, and thus be the sossessor Of
his own gristmill and still another shilling
would command mats to sit and sleep on.
Here are toys and baskets, the latter really
fine; chickens in coops and turkeys tethered
by strings tied to leg and held in the own
er's hands. There are meats, and hides and
leather, and no end OF articles Of which /
did not know the names and could not con-
lecture the use. Ons marvels at the posi- |
BILE demand for these old keys old pictures.
odd nondescript articles Of oil sorts, sur
vivals from old Spain, heirlooms may be,
about TO be sacrificed to the owners needs
Little Of the trade isxof proportions de-
manding aught but coppers. aud to change
q lO-centavo piece-ths national dime
would break almost any dealer, for more
things will be carried away than sold, only
One strong fellow. observed, sat all day
behind six puny bananas, which all night
remained unsold, and five small pieces Of
lime constituted another's contribution to the
markets opportunities for traffic. Twenty
five dollars, like enough, would have bought
out every dealer at his own price In tine
whole market; but 1t would not be so easy
back carriage over hot dusty roads, coming
and going, and how many hours Of patient
industry were represented by those humble
wares.