St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-03-27

draped in white robes in all manner of |
grotesque attitudes, with curious express |
sions upon their faces, forming a most |
gruesome and revolving spectacle. The
authorities have been compelled to |
enclose this vault with glass doors to |
protect them from relic hunters. Think /
OF it, 5000 small tombs or vaults of |
sufficient size for one, are erected around |
the quadrangle of the cemetery 800 feet |
square and so in height, that rent for
30 per annum for S years or $500 is I
required for permanent occupancy, and |
the former are removed and deposited in
the vaults below.
Living expenses are very reasonable |
and of good quality, especially if Ameri-
can-$5 per day in hotels and upwards,
or $3.50 our money. At the frontier in
entering Mexico after passing the Custom
House your American money is doubled
without exchange, but on returning with
Mexican money, only of course one-half
is returned for American. At
Guanajuato | rode horseback miles and
miles over mountain trails, in visiting
many of the mines. One of the largest
and oldest is La Luis that has produced
over a half billion and was opened by
the Spaniards in 1854, about the time
that Guanajuato was founded Poor
Guanajuato. 1t is the most picturesque
city in Mexico. In 1905 there was
terrific cloudburst over the city with
roars of thunder and deluge of rain.
Horses and vehicles were swept from
their feet and people washed from their
beds. -Four hundred houses were swept
away and nearly 1000 lost their lives.
tits quite probable that the Aztecs and
others operated these mines with their
crude methods long before Cortez'
invasion in 1919. drove over the very
trail which the valiant priest Hidalgo
brought his Indians in the attack upon
Guanajuato, which was the beginning
of the end of the 800 years of Spanish
rule with their 54 viceroys Today the
old prison stands in the city where from
200 to 800 Spaniards were massacred by
the Indians and later on the Spaniards
killed about the same number when
Hidalgo was overpowered. On the
outer walls today are the marks of the
stones thrown by the Indians in their
attack, and upon the four corners are
the hooks upon which the heads of
Hidalgo and his three generals were
suspended for 1 years as warning TO
the Indians. But afterwards when the
Spaniards were driven forth forever, the
skulls of those dauntless four were taken
down, and saw them in glass case in
the great cathedral in the city of Mexico.
1t is quite impossible to describe the
grandeur of those mountains around,
1000 or 1000 feet higher than Mt.
Washington. The deep indigo blue of
the skies and the majestic cumulous
clouds rolling along so quietly, and then
'the wales stretching in pensive quietness
between" All are an inspiration never
to be forgotten. Then the air so clear,
full of ozone and nepenthe is most invigo-
rating.
The city of Mexico is grand and
historic beyond description, very much
like an American one; for instead Of
sunburnt brick, their buildings are most
ly of stone and very ornate. The city
has many cathedrals. The great
cathedral on the site of the old Aztet
temple is 800 feet in height with a
number of side aisles, chapels, COMES
SIGNALS, affairs, etc. 1t was about 125
years in building, is 200 years old, and
covers 10 acres. The great organ that
cost over million, as large as a great
mansion, does not look at all out o.
proportion, such is the immensely of the
great auditorium. At Gaudaloupe near
the city is another great cathedral hav'
ing an altar or shrine weighing 81 tons
of solid silver. In the rear is wondrous
spring said to have sprung forth
centuries ago in answer to the prayer o.
a poor shepherd dying of thirst. Inside
is great collection of crutches and
canes of people that have been cured by
it's waters. Also upon the altar is a
marvellous picture of the Holy Virgin
that suddenly appeared as if etched in q
night upon an Indian blanket and nc
scientific chemist has ever been able to
account for it. In the cemetery IN the
rear of this cathedral, on steep hillside
are the tombs of many of the viceroys
and among them that of Santa Anna
the great troubler of Mexico, in his day
Quite an incident happened on oul
visit there. We had attended the funeral
of Chavero, speaker of the Chamber Of
Deputies, Just before leaving the city o.
Mexico (where we had fine opportunity
of seeing President Diaz several times
and being close beside him as the funeral
cortege moved away. Mr.. Diaz is mar
of most striking appearance considering
his IA years of military service, hero o
scores of battles, age 76, in appearance
about 45) On arrival at Gaudaloup'
we met the funeral procession returning
, at the cemetery gates. We were quite
anxious to go through the ground, ant
| three of us started up the steep ant
J stony ascent, only to be overtaken by
! sudden and terrific thunder storm tina
forced us to take refuge for owe
an hour in an unoccupied toni
: filled with live peons with just room
! for ourselves. Such was the altitude
1000 feet, that the cannon-like thun
, der seemed to roll along the groun'
, and the lightning developed us in
binding and continuous sheet OF flame
; We were only too willing to leave Santi
Anna and the viceroys in their eterna
| peace, and drenched to the skin, take tn
| tram back to town. The visit Il
Chepultepec was most interesting, tina
| ancient capital of the Aztecs and OF thel
/ predecessors the Toltecs, and afterward
: residences of the Spanish viceroys @
/ Spain. Three hundred years later it wa
f the home of the presidents of the Republi
} and today is in part the summer RESI-
+ dence of the president. One wing OF tn
| immense structure is occupied by mill
+ tary school of Mexican cadets and simlla
to our West Point.
|