Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-07-04

law compelling it, the same as for small
pox when the latter disease is prevalent.
METHODS OF LOCAL TRAVEL.
For some unaccountable reason II IS not
the fashion in Vera Cruz to ride in carriages,
none but the demi-monde indulging in that
pleasant practice 4 respectable Vera
Cruzana would no more be seen riding in
any sort OF vehicle but the horSe-car, than
she would entering the door of bagnio (;
therefore all our explorationsin and around
this hot old town must be made on foot,
though the sun shine never SO tercely.
Happily for sight-scers, the city is small,
the pavements excellent, and a tramway
passes the principal points Of interest. The
city of Vera Cruz, which till recently was
the Capital OF the State of the same name,
was founded near the close Of the sixteenth
century by the viCe-King Count de Monte
rev, and was raised to the dignity OF city in
the year 1915, by Philip Il II. The original
town which Cortez founded and called
La Villa RIGA de Ia Vera Cruz the rich
city of the true cross-ies several miles
north OF the present port, and both are III
the midst of an extensive arid plain, whose
desert sands are washed by the gulf on one
hand and bounded By low and barren hills
on the other. It is common remark that
the conqueror should have setup the True
Cross at Anton LiZardo instead, point
about fifteen miles to the southwark, which
is the only really good harb0r on the Cuff
of Mexico.
TIE FIRST sPAEIARD
That landed here was not Cortez, as many
suppose but Grijalva, in 1913, who came
on a trading expedition fitted out by Wales
quez, then Governor Of Cuba. So success
fdl was he in his traffic with the natives as
to obtain more than $l4 900 worth Of gold
dust in exchange for Il few worthless rInk-
cts. This 50 stimulated the CUpldity OF
Governor VaiesqucZ that the next year he
fitted out 4 much larger expedition, the
command Of which he gave to 4 brave but
penni!ess young adventurer called Herman
do CoTtez-and behold the result Says Pres
colt Little did the conqueroT imagine
that the des0late beach on which be first
planted his foot was one day to be covered
by a tiourishing city, the great mari OF
European and Oriental trade the CONNER
cial capital Of new Spain" AT present
more than two-tbiTds ofMoxioo's commerce
passes through the port of Vera Cruz, and
the city has 3 population OF about 1900.
1t is walled by ., 700 meters Of madrepore
rock taken from the bottom Of the sea, and
the ramparts are studded with numerous
fortresscs. The grim old
CASTLE SAP; JUAN DE- r1oA,
Which IS now fast crunlbling to decay on
its rocky island just outside the harbor, Is
no longer valued as fort against modern
munitions Of warfare, though still the most
dreaded prison in Mexico. Such history
as this worthless old pile has had At the
risk Of our lives we went over 10 see 1t III q
rowboa: upon the tossing waters II the
treacher0us Gulf, and when arrived al the
island, suitably escorted and armed with g
letter Of introduction from the American
Consul, and an open sesame Of a pass
from the Governor, we poked our inquisi-
tive Yankee noses into the very darkest and
most noisJmc dungeon, whiCh'lies far be-
low the restless tides. Another party OF
visitors were less ftr,ur ate than we, for
they, returning later on the same evening,
were overturned by a sudden squall, and
four OF their number were drowned.
Sixty.One years after the SpaniaFds set
foot on Aztec soil they began this fortress
to confirm their power, and It IS said 10
have cost from first TO last, no less than
forty millions Of dollars. In 1868, when
Vera Cruz was sacked b. the English cor
sair Nicholas AGramont (ineited by one
LorenciIlo who had been condemned 10
death for murder in Vera Cruz, but had eS-
and more than seven millions were carried
of IN III. the Marquis de IL Cr3ix, then
Eice-oy Of Mexico. RENTED n Hlillion and
a half Of dollars to the Government 10 put
Gan Juan II STATE of defense. and the
strong buiwarks which still remain attest
10 the labor .hcn bestowed upon il. IN
1922 ibis castle was the only
STRONGHOLD OF SPANISH POWER
That remained in Mexico its garrison
bring frequently reinforced by troops from
Havana. The bOmbardment Of the city
and the defense Of the castle, which lasted
for two Years. IS familiar history. Iavala,
that furious Republican. says The Spani-
ards had 10 contend with gods and men, hav-
ing against them hunger and sickness, the
fire and balls Of the enemy, an angry sea
covered with reefs, a burning atmosphere,
and above all, being totally ignorant as to
whether they should even receive assist
anCe." The surrender Of the famous fort
ON the 18th OF September, 1924, signalled
the Joyful fact for Mexico that Spain relin-
pushed her Claim to any spot of soil on
this continent. OF its latest assault by the
French squadron in 1888, the journals Of
France are still Boosting Of the capitulati0n
of q" San Juan de Uloa, the St. Jean
d'Acre of the World
The dungeons of the old castle
where prisoners are confined to-day
are dark, damp and horrible beyond
description they tell US that the lower
cells, through which tides ebb and flow at
regular intervals, are no longer used; but
il il nevertheless a fact that wretched crca-
lures have spent weary years there. IN
which every day was struggle Tor life,
and that many, confined like rats in hole,
have drowned in the total darkness. OF
all the hungry-eyed. cadayerous, and pitia
bic 10 king objects in human shape that ii
has ever been my misfortune to meet, the
poor prisoners at San Juan are by far the
worst. Not only are they nearly starved,
and most of them kept in dense darkness,
in foul vcrmin infested dungeons, green
with slime and mold, dripping with damp
ness and generating deadly diseases, but on
the slightest pretext or to crafty the spleen
of their keepers, the helpless wretches are
thrust into the underground cellars and
forced to fight for their lives with the tide.
FANNIE 3. WARD.
ssgsgsss,eszyus-sgsrzsr-zzzs--a