Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-02-06
BYwAYs IN MEXICO.
JOURNEYING on HORSEBACK IN
THE STATE OF MICHOACAN.
Equestrian Cock-Fighting-Th Ma
tional Sport, COlea de Toros, or
Bull-Tailing-Mex Sports.
correspondence of the REcoRD-usIos.l

MoRELIA. Mexico, January 80, 1886.
We might have gone from Toluca to
Morelia by rail in half days time, but
falling in with an adventurous party, who
had spent a summer going overland with
tents and wagons to California. rather than
make of it commonplace journey in q
parlor car; who have made long walking
tours in Europe, the Rockies and the Adj
rondacks, and have travelled on horseback
over the greater part of Mexico, we were
easily persuaded to join forces with them.
The plan was to take guide, servants and
our own provisions, to turn our backs upon
civilization and forget that railroads ex-
listed, striking out across lots SO to speak,
towards Moreia, making seven
days journey of what might have been
accomplished in as many hours by more
prosaic methods. To Mexican eyes there
was nothing extraordinary in the proceed
ing, for scarcely three years have elapsed
since the iron horse made his first appear
ance in this portion of Mexico and to this
day the majority of the native ladies fear
the new-fangled method of locomotion,
and prefer to make all pilgrimages in their
carriages when practicable, or on horse or
donkeyback among the mountains. There
are no better riders in the world than Mex
lean ladies. They are reared from infancy
to the exercise and, like English women.
can leap bitches and five-barred gates, be-
ing as much at home in the saddle as a
soldier or circus-rider. Not so with Betsy
and l, whose lives have been spent where
such things are
NOT A FEMALE FASHION;
And for novice to sustain herself uneasi-
ly in the saddle eight or ten hours at
''sitting" produces anything but an at
home feeling in the back and limbs.
Nevertheless it is by far the better way
for the naturalist, the artist, the tourist
who desires to study the country, than to
be whisked through at railroad speed shut
up in car.
The old city of Toluca looked stern and
dignitied enough as in the dim twilight of
the dawning we babe adios to It's still Sleep
ing citizens, its moldy converts and
churches and casas painted red and white,
and clattered through its silent streets
toward the dark hills beyond which frown-
ed the famous volcano San Miguel de Tutu-
Cuitlalpco. The gentlemen Of the party
comprising well-known American ar
fist, a book-maker whose name is familiar
TO every reader of our language, a cele-
brated English naturalist and two French
q
costume, by the way, most admirably fit
ted for 'roughing it," being chiefly
composed of leather. The ladies, five
in number, were attired in equestrian
style not borrowed from Worth
dust-colored ulsters over cotton
travelling suits. that the sacred soil "
which rose in clouds and settled upon us
might be less conspicuous; gray wells tied
down tightly, nun fashion, to protect the
I,aT nd lna for
glare. The redoubtable Don Jesus Maria
Guadalupe acted as guide and directed the
five well-armed Mexican m0zaS, whose duty
1t was to oversee the crowded hampers,
take care of the horses, keep sharp look
out for possible knights of the road, and at
night to keep watch and ward over our
camp and all its belongings.
THE FIRST NIGHT
Was to be spent at La Gabia, the hacinda
OF the hospitable Senior Hechavaira and
his three Drothers-in-law which we had
been informed was only sixteen miles from
Toluca. But there were Two roads lead
ing to the place, and, being uncertain
which one to take, as generally happens in
such cases. we chose the worst; which
took US for leagues over hilly country I'M
relieved by tree, shrub, bush or flower. The
day was intensely hot, and the dust like
the singing san Is of Sahara We
passed an occasional poor hut-or more
rarely chance Indian passed US, showed
his white teeth and in spite of the load on
his back, contriyed to draw off his hat and
give us mild good-morrow-bu for the
rest, from Dan to Beersheba, from Toluca
to La Gabia, all was barren. BY u o'clock
we might have fancied ourselves passing
over the burning plains of Mesopotamia,
notwithstanding an occasional cold breeze
which, sweeping across for moment,
served only to make us feel the heat with
greater force. Then barranea followed bar
ranea. The horses climbed up one crag,
and slid down another, while, to beguile
the time, our nlOzaS struck up wild chorus
as they drove the wearied beasts up the
burning hills. Every Indian we met as
sured us that La Gabia was cerquitd (auite
near or detras lomita behind the little hilD,
and every little hill that we passed pre-
scented to our view another little hill but
no signs of the much wished-for hacienda
until we believed it to be an ignis fatt,ts or
founded on the baseless fabric of dream.n
However, It's a long lane that has no
turning, as they say in Scotland. and
toward sunset La Gaba was actually in
sight, Its entrance appearing to us like
THE VERY GATES OF EDEN.
We were all turned to the color of Pawnee
Indians, especially /, who had ridden with
my vail up. Fortunately we had no mir
rors, but each was able to give the other a
fattering description of his sun -blistered
countenance.
Senior Hechavarria and the numerous
brothers-in-law gave us the warmest of
welcomes, and would scarcely permit us to
depart three days later, and then only on
account OF the urgent business which we
pleaded was awaiting us in Morelia. This
beautiful hacienda formerly belonged to the
Count de Regla, whose possessions must
have been royal, as La Gabia-whlch is 80
miles long by II miles in breadth-is one
of a dozen equally fine estates which he
owned in central Mexico. This contains
the productions of every climate, from fir
clad mountains on level with the volcano
of Toluca, and containing rich mines of
gold, silver and lead. to the fertile plains
which produce corn and wheat and lower
down, to fields of cane, cotton, tobacco and
other productions of the tropics
SPORT OF BULL-TAILING
AT this hacienda we witnessed for the
first time the national sport called colea de
toros, or bull-tailing-the advertisement be-
ing gotten up on this occasion for our
special entertainment, in lieu of the bull
fight, to which we have SO often been
treated. That old bit of advice anent tax
ing the bull by the horns has different
rendering here, where they seize the ami
NAL by the tail instead In a large corral.
at one end of which was little building
erected for the accommodation of the lady
guests, were inclosed more than hundred
bulls. Round the corral were the horse
men, all dressed in the picturesque Mexican
costume, examining the animals as they
were driven to and fro in the inclosure in
order TO make them wild for the sport.
Senior Hechavarria himself, his brother-in-
law, and his sons, were riding among them.
armed with long lances, separating from
the herd and driving into another inclos-
ure the most active bulls When all was
ready, the bars were withdrawn from the
entrance of the corral and bull driven
out, who, seeing the wide, level plain be-
fore him, Immediately dashed off at full
speed. With shout the horsemen pur-
10 e. IL