Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-29
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Mexicos is that our silver dollar has
gold dollar back of 1t, but for that it
would be worth no more than the MeXi-
can dollar, gold having gone out of use
as currency in the State of Mexico, as
many fear it will do in the United States.
l have the first dollar that | bought in
Mexico at half price, as you might say,
and here it is. Iput hole through it,
and intend to smooth off one side and
have engraved upon it the fact and con-
dition of exchange, and among the rub
bish of hundred years hence perhaps it
will for moment amuSe some of my de-
scendants. The first days travel from
San Antonia towards the City of Mexico
takes one through a dry desert coun-
try, with but little vegetation aside from
the ever present cactus; a region without
rain, but irrigation makes this barren
country bear abundaGtly the necessities
and luxuries of life. The second days
travel we go through a country more
subject to rain, and in fruitfulness is un-
surpassed by any in the world. We
cross the Tropic of Cancer and are with
in the Torrid zone, and the luxuriance
of vegetation is amazing. To illustrate,
sugar cane in Mexico is planted but once
in six years, sprouting up from the roots
after each cutting for five successive
years, while in Louisiana it dies after the
first cutting, which necessitates yearly
planting. Mexican towns, in their arch
itecUure, are Spanish; the natives, be
they pure Spanish or Spanish and In
dian, are Spanish in habits, language, re-
ligion and superstition. The cock-igbt
and the bull-fight are the principal pleas
ures of the people. Every Sunday brings
it's bull-fghts. did not see them as l
drew the line there, though it is the
thing to do for travellers, minister and
layman to see at least one bull-fght of
Sunday.
The City of Mexico is even more inter-
esting, continued Major Valentine, than
we had expected. Mexico is situated in
a basin from which there is no drainage.
AS result it is unhealthy, and the gov
ernment for years has been building
tunnel through the surrounding noun
tains to drain this great basin. Its many
churches and other public buildings are
massive, well built structures, but
cracked by earthquakes. The dwellings
of the people are for the most part built
around court, are of adobe or sun dried
brick with thick walls. The doors and
windows open on a court and not on the
street, the court communicating with
the street by large close gates. | was
very much interested in the ways of the
people and the relics of prehistoric
times. The Calendar Stone is one of the
most remarkable of these, showing as it
is claimed, that the ancient Aztecs di-
vided their weeks into five days, and
months into twenty days, and how many
days, weeks and months make a year |
do not know, but it is claimed that their
years were calculated with such accura
cy that hundreds of them passed before
a day needed be added OF skipped;
whereas with us four years is as long as
we can run without an added day, and
as centuries go on, other days are added
to correct discrepancies in computation
of time.
The bandit Cortes and his cut-thrOat
crew did their best to destroy all traces
of the past, and thus the evidence was
lost that might, and probably would
have shown that the Mexican people had
history commencing long years before
our era. and a civilization of no mean or
der Very many sculptured relics are in
the National Museum in Mexico, and the
skill displayed by thaC ancient people is