CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1899-02-23
IN OLD MEXICO
The Record Peopie Esloy = Mexieaa
Feast Day and Visit to the
Ascseat Pyra.lds ol
ChoIula.

"A 1eaSt Gay IN MEXICO lS great
affair. Thursday, February 2nd was
Candlemas day and Sunday, February
9Th was the day of San F elipe de
Jesus, Mexico's proto-martyr in Japan.
We celebrated both in Cuernavaca.
The ringing of bells and the celebra-
ton began on Wednesday the lst and
continued over Sunday. These days
have religious significance / think,
though it is not the strictly religious
side of feast day that is most popu-
lar.
Over at one side of Cuernavaca is
q little village called San Miguel.
Here in front of the old church, con-
venient for the worshipers, was built
sort of temporary Mexican Midway
Plaisance, and it was here we saw
our first feast days celebrated in
true Mexican style. The affair par
takes much of the nature of an old
fashioned back-east county fair. All
the country poems come to town for
early mass and celebrate the re-
mainder of the day on pulque, dulcies
and in enjoying the festive sports.
The sports consist Of numerous
gambling games, q mock bull fight,
and genuine cock fights. The mock
bull fight or bull batting is the first
distictive Mexican sport we have
been able TO thoroughly enjoy. The
plan Of the game is much the same
as a bull fight, only no bulls are
killed or horses hurt. In the ring are
men, some being on horse back. A
Wild bull is let into the ring. Men
vave blankets or a red robe at him.
Bull charges man steps asite, and
people cheer. Then horsemen play
with him and keep out Of his way.
While the bull is maddest he is skill
fully caught and thrown with ropes
by the picadores. A rope girdle is
tightly tied about him and a man
gets astride him. holding fast to the
girdle. Mr.. Bull is then let loose
and up he gets, and goes jumping,
tossing. bucking and charging about
the ring. This causes great amuse-
ment. and the nearer the bull comes
to catching a fellow with his horns
the better the sport. Seldom indeed
does the bull ever throw a rider.
When enough fun has been had with
one bull he is lassced, the rider dis
mounts and 8 fresh and wilder
animal Is brought in, and this is con-
tinued till late in the evening.
The 5th of February is also q
national holiday, it being on thst day
thirty-nine years ago the liberal con-
stitution was adopted. 1t is called
Constitution Day. Early in the
morning We were awakened by the
military band, and imagine our sur
prise and joy to hear the familiar old
airs, High School Cadets and WASH
ington Post.
Southeast of the City of Mexico
l3o miles by the Interoceanic railway
is the beautiful city of Prehia. 1t
rivals Guandalajara for the second
largest and richest city in the repub-
lie. Its altitude Is 1858 feet, and
population about 100000. The city
is nicely located, being high and dry,
aud its buildings are very fine.
Puebla is city of many churches and
its cathedral is said to be nearly rs
large and even finer in the interior
than the Grand Cathedral Of the City
of Mexico. After having seen many
other Mexican cities, the chief point
of interest here is the Pyramid Of
Cholula. which is located eight miles
from the city or an hours ride on
the mule car.
History has it that centuries before
Columbus discovered America the
people who inhabited the valley knew