Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-12

only sets himself up for Judge and Jury
IN settling disputes, but takes it upon HIM
self to determine whether or no travellers
may pass through his territory at all-and
many luckless tourist, whose business
could not be comprehended, has been
turned back in his course and compelled to
| make wide detour around the domain of
some obdurate Alealde The autocrat of
Las Vegas was attired in sky-blue breeches,
rufffed calico shirt worn with flaps out
side, and gailystriped serape (blanket)
| thrown over one shoulder Having been
duly impressed by the signatures of Bishop
and President affixed to our credentials,
we heard him issuing rapid orders to
half dozen ragged servants as to
the menu; and, this done. he returned
| with the mistress of the manse, who had
incontinently fed at the sound of our
| voices. The senora-a gentle creature
whose weight must have been near three
! hundred-was half dragged in by her lord
and master; but, once inside, her shyness
| suddenly vanished, and with little laugh
she settled herself upon a straw mat and
| invited us to do likewise. There being no
! chairs in the casa-nothing but puncheon
benches ranged around the table-we
eheerfully sank down beside her, although
| the apartment appeared to be occupied CON
| Jointly by most sociable colony of dogs
and chickens, while couple of lean black
pigs and several goats wandered in and out
at will
| CHARACTERISTIC HOSPITALITY.
Drawing leathern case from the depths
of her greasy gown, our engaging hostess
| rendered us each a cigarette of her own
rolling, and while endeayored to n,anf,tlll
perform the smoking act, as politeness re-
quired, the senora-her bashfulness, UNI
fortunately, entirely gone-proceeded to
handle curiously every article of our ap-
parel, both " seen and unseen Our but
toned boots especially excited her surprise,
and in the ecstasy of admiration she would
doubtless have requested them as memen-
! toes OF the visit had not her attention been
diverted in the nick of time by the gift of a
| blue-bordered handkerchief and crimson
neck-tie.
| Meanwhile the servants were rushing
wildly in and OUT under orders from the
| Alcalde, and the increased odor of garlic
and loud spatting of tortil2aS (thin cakes
made OF crushed CORN, announced that
breakfast was preparing: and soon the lord
OF the manor, with sembrero still upon his
head and serape over his shoulders. waved
US TO seats at his hospitable board. His
wife, being unhappily too broad for the
space between benches and table. was
obliged to sit with her back to the viands;
but candor compels me to admit that
barring her long hair-her duties as host
ess were performed more satisfactorily Ito
u.s. in that unusual position. because she
INDUCED in neither knife, fork nor spoon,
but insisted upon helping us with her own
tobacco-colored fingers to everything within
| reach. Possibly the bill of fare might not
have been tempting to epicures at home,
but thanks to habit and the long ride. our
healthy appetites were able to do It Justice
There was the usual cdido, teacup of warm
water Favored with grease, garlic and chile
pepper; SOpd, the invariable second course
rice boiled in oil and seasoned with chile
ana tomatoes; a huge dish of fat meat
boiled with various kinds of seeds and veg
etables; tortitJds hot from the griddle-of
course without SALT butter or other gar
nIshing JIVoies (red beans) stewed in oil
and eaten with cheese or curdled goats
milk poured over them; and strong, bitter
black coffee without milk or sugar
Looking out upon miles of uncultivated
land, where anything might grow, asked
the Alcalde why his neighborS made no
gardens. "Qtiea sabe," he replied. with
shrug of surprise con- male u cAli no
tatta NADIA "-(''Who wants more than corn
and chile?')
After the repast other yillainous ciga-
rettes must perforce be smoked, and the
shadows of afternoon were alarmingly long
before the hospitable dignitary could be in.
duced to order our donkeys. The sonora.
grateful for the little gifts she had received.
stood sideways in the wide door (being
herself too expansive to stand otherwise}.
and gave US many parting iniunctions to
keep sharp lookout-for ladroneS; and
amid many an affectionate cdios we turned
our faces toward the Cofre, that loomed
ike sheeted ghost before US.
PLAINS AND CITY OF PERoTE.
Two hours later we were within the plain
OF Perote, which, level as an ocean, is
bounded by hills on every side. On one
hand towers the stupendous peak of ORR
zaba, on the other thlsat celebrated mountain
of basaltic porphyry unfolding the gigantic
Cofre (chest) of Aztec tradition in the
midst of the r,,llain rises the cone Of Tepi-
acualca, and in the far distance q series of
snow-capped nights outline the horizon.
All these plains of southern Mexico have
been the basins of former lakes, now dry
and arid. Not trace of human habitation
is to be seen for miles, and the deserted
country looked even more forlorn in an
other cold, drilling shower. Our mozas
muttered continually, Dire Mdria Ptris-
Sinaa Que veRgu eI SoJ Re" Holy Virgin.
send US the sun IA petition in which we
Joined with mental fervor. Just before en-
tering the village of Perote, the road lies
through narrow canyon, which from time
immemorial has been so haunted byrobbers
that the trail is like a graveyard lined by
hundreds of black crosses, the murdered
having been buried where they fell.
All the houses of the town present to the
street blank wall of stone or adobe with
no windows at all, but frequent loopholes
for guns. Each casa has but one entrance.
q wide portal, which is always carefully
closed, barred and guarded, leading to the
inner yard around which the rooms are
built. This-style Of architecture shows the
feeling of insecurity, and that every mans
house must be indeed his castle. Not many
years ago the hamlet was a regular citadel
of vagabondism, the headquarters of all
manner of villainy, in which it was scarce
ly safe to stir out of doors save at midday
AT dusk the streets were as deserted as
those of Pompeii, and the population were
barred within their cherries dwellings,
all except the ragged ladrones who skuiked
about under the shadows of huge sombre-
ros, each with his pistols, dagger or machete
tucked conveniently beneath his blanket,
watching for plumber.
CASTLE OF SAN CARLOS AND ITS FAMOUS
PRISONER.
a few rods north of the town stands the
famous castle of San Carlos, which has
been 10 Mexico what the tower" is to
London. This huge, square fort, with its
moat and glacis was built in the best style
of last century Notifications, but would be
of little use against modern munitions of
warfare. 1t was designed as a depository
OF silver when, in consequence of Spanish
wars with maritime nations, it was deemed
imprudent to send it on to the coast. which
was repeatedly rayaged by buccaneers
During Mexieo's revolutionary struggle-be-
ginning in 1810and terminating in the over
throw OF Spanish power some twelve years
later-the Castle of Perote was mostly used
as storehouse for treasure. AT one time
during that period the accumulation within
it amounted to more than forty millions
of dollars, and weighed over thirteen