Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-07
SACRAMENTANs ABROAD.
Visiting Old Mexico En- Route to the
New Orleans Exposition.


New Orleans Exposition.
RECORD UNION Correspondence
OrY OF MEXICO, January 20, 1885,
We left Sacramento on January 10th and
arrived here on the 10th Our whole jour
ney was pleasant as could be desired. The
trip through Mexico was of interest to all
our party, being the first time any Of the
number had ever seen the land of the
Montezumas. To those interested in agri
culture only, the whole route to the City of
Mexico would have but little attraction,
the land for the greater part of the way
seeming fit only for the production of the
endless variety of cacti which completely
cover the country, and is not fit for grazing
purposes. Near Aguas CalIente5 was the
first farming land of note, and there it is
in its most primitive state. The crops
were being harvested. Barley and
other smaller grains are pulled up
by the roots and placed in small heaps
by the natives. Fancy such mode of har-
Yesting in some of the fields Of wheat and
barley in California. 1t seems to me the
ragged, hungry, poor who gather the grain
III this style would eat more than could be
saved by such process in lone day. At,
Aguas Calientes we were Il ct by frien Is,
Captain WATSON and his charming wife,
formerly Of Sacramento.
ZACATECAs
Is the center for all the mining operations
in the State 1t is finely situated among
rolling hills that slope in gentle undula
tons away to the distant plains. Through
the kindness of friend we had an oppor-
tunity of riding for miles on the engine
and consequently had some fine views of
the country. Among others was race be-
tween an OK, which had just been relieved
of the yoke by one of the natives and his
master. Whatever the cause, the OK was
in earnest, and so was the man. Wei
Will know how that race ended but as the
man was scudding along with bare poles
his one garment being reefed for storms,
hope he was saved from the cruel horns
that were very near when last saw them.
En- route we saw the famous dyke of
Nochistongo, supposed to have been cut
by Cortez 1t has a depth Of nearly 200
feet and is about thirteen miles long. Such
a canal as this might answer for our fair
CITY of the plains Once through this we
the CITY of Mexico. There the lands were
well titled. Large vineyards are seen Of
the maguey plant, from which the drink
so dear to the native, puiqas, Is made.
Peach trees were in bloom and many
flowers were in sight. Then came lines of
old aQueducts; old, old houses and walls
of adobe and roofs OF the same. Even the
inhabitants looked sun-dried and Of much
the same color Soon we arrived at a
handsome station, and we were in the city.
THE CITY OF MEXIco.
Our four days stay here have all been
too short. Every courtesy has been shown
our party that could be desired, 50 we
have been able 10 see a great deal
in the short time here. The Cathedral
is grand indeed. 1t possesses fascination
of its own, and though not so imposing as
many in Europe, is of peculiar interest,
being built upon the site where once stood
the Aztec Teocalis | think | was more
interested in the many things we saw,
which remain as relics of that age and
those mysterious people, than all else. The
sacrifcial stone the calendar stone, upon
which they computed time; the gods
whom thew worshiped, with many other
things we're alone worth a visit to see.
Those old Aztecs understood something in
the art Of carving even with their rude
instruments, which could scarcely be ac-
Complished now.
CHAPULTEPEC,
Wherein once lived Montezuma, and
which is now being fitted up for Diaz
bears evidence vet of the work Of those
sun-worshipers. And looking from its
high turrets down upon the city, sur
rounded by its beautiful plains, with the
fair white peak of Popocatapetl towering
up to such grand nights above us, |
thought, would il not have been as well
had the invaders never come, and had this
strange people, joined to their vet stranger
idols, been left alone. Civilization has
done much, | suppose, and yeti saw there
more ahiect poverty, more filth and rags
more of utter deStitution in one day, than
before in all my life, though until then |
thought Naples and Rome stood first in
bcggary Among all the poor working
people who toll for so poor living, | did
not see one smiling, happy face.
Had | time, there Is much that would
I've Of interest to write that IS not usually
written concerning this strange old city,
Its queer people, OF the palaces, churches,
asylums, theaters, the circus and
many other places which We visited of
the strange, nameless luscious fruits, or the
Strawberries which grow to perfection
there, and of the Sunday eve when we sat
in the zocaIo eating ices in the open air,
while the band played, and men and wo-
men, in their brightest serapes, whispered
in that sweetest of all languages the Old
cid story. NELLIE B.