Year: 1867

~~--"~~
psrty. pss lfe ~ 80


6usdaupe Is IN old town OF six thousand inhabitants
four miles from zacatecas, the San Luis Potos road
The town s Importance to the numerous hacendas
which exist there for the extraction of the silver from
tie zacaecas II is thriving looking village rcgu
larry laid out In squares with the usual plaza The
principal o5ec, u interest here Is the old church and
convent Of Guadalupe, the east side Of the rnain
plaza II is qusn. old structure or pile Of buildings
with several does towers and curious raceres unique
and falciin The facade sanity and angelic
figures There is front yard full Of cypress trees with
curious old wall surrounding it. Fight Of well worn
steps leads up 10 tho yard, and another fight into the
small church attached TO the convent Tnis church.
though SMALL Is finely ornamcn,ed and well proportioned
within. There wealth OF sdiug, perhaps too much
The confessional boxes more than In any
church have yet seen even boxes under corridor
near the front entrance wore In use. Guadalupe must
be very sinful.


gertiemauly old padre, with shaven crown, kindly


eft his house to show the convent This founded
by the Padre Marji who, by the by. great lover
of ali the good things Of this life, and would have been
q but for little mistake be committed In Zacate-
cas-. His piety having reached its maximum he, in
l744 established this most famous ediace and dedi-
Gated it TO San Francisco We entered the build
ing by the sacrsty through yard bordered by
rdor Under this corridor several paintings OF life
size but OF inferior merit They represent curious
in the lives OF tine saints One Of them
cient father, evidently prefers bed OF live Goals to
beautiful woman, who stands near and tempts him;


funny old fellow that These pictures are OF those
saved from tho wreck OF the convent


As you enter the sacrs,y there several horrible
figures of Christ suffering and bleeding, Of saints
slowed away here for future bright days OF Catholic rule
and power Several paintings OF religious groups are
also found here AS works Of art they are not without
merit, although too highly colored. Upon the wall
cering the whole arched back OF the sacrsty is i'm
mense oil painting upon by Antonio de Torres
II is really masterpiece Of art Tho cooring is SOFT
finished and masterkc and the striking shades Of light
give marvellous effect represents the Lords Sup
per- but is OF original design not that Of Leonardo da
vincL Tho grouping and design make II valuable
study and recommend it any lover of art who may
pass this way. It is marked 1920 and was evidently
brought from other part of Mexico to this place.


From the sacristy we went to the new chapel now
being completed surprised after walking through
Old and yards numbered up with all kinds or


rash to find here in old of the
Of architectural beauty just receiving the fns hing
touches For years 1t has been building and at q
lavish expenditure OF money. The padre told me that
The chapel is small the plan Greek Of about
sixty feet Beautifully scuipurcd stone columns sup
port perfectly proporoped dome, while three affairs,
Of marvellous good taste lend their beauty to the classic
outlines Of the whole interior. The colorng OF the stone
work throughout very rich and artistic II is Jewel
in the desert Four miserable paintings occupying
spicuous places within this casket, are curse to s
beauties


We pass on to the convent proper II was but few
years since the home OF from one hundred hun.
drcd and twenty friars The whole building, except that
part occupied described going to rum and presents


bold example OF the ruined fortunes Of the Catholic
Church Ia Mexico immense Of ground
and is two stories hgh with vaulted set of rooms.
half under ground, three hundred at least One
wing OF the building was for unvces another for the
sick; third for the padres; Kitchens yards Stables
vated little chnpes for each department. everything
In fact for one Of the most noted converts in Mexico


In the late civil commotsons Of the country the most
OF the building has been used BY the troops Of all par
ties aud these have not refused to do all they could
contribute TO Its rapid ruin. s A9 nA H aasa3


The finishing Of the chapel above mentioned and the
building OF small church In San Pablo, in chihuahua,
the only noneyed efforts Of the Catholic Church
repair damages that have observed in Mexico they
appear busy with civil warfare 70 devote penny to


The Town as Of Guadalupe Is intensely Catholic The
shadow Of this Old church, and the padres who still cling
with fond hope TO tho deeayed grandeur or the
make IL SO. They still hope for revival Of Catholic


said that many Of the devout in Zacatecas when
they lose dear fcnd go TO Guadalupe there to enjoy
the sadness that hovers over the place.


We stopped FOR the night at Ojo Caliente o place
famous for its thermal springs which here esteemed
for bathing purposes. The town has, perhaps three


thousand inhabitants, and the centre OF nne agrcu
tural district. An immense valley, stretching northwest
and southeast Is here locked in by lofty mountain anges


The reception OF the government was very enthus-
astic-rockets in great numbers, band Of seventeen
pieces OF music, and the streets gaiy decorated with
whatever the town afforded for the purpose The poor
people crowded into the house TO greet the great Mex
can and a half hour Of shaking hands followed The
country raversed during the day looks like excellent
pasture land but there Is not sufficient water for agrcul
tura purposes The road was excellent and the mules
trotfed along at good pace mistake OF OF the
coachmen took US two leagues out Of the road but
cross road fortunately led us directly to the town


On Monday, February Is, wc went fron Ojo Calente
to Salinas del Pehon Bauco nineteen leagues via III
Caro- twelve leagues from starting point The roads
tolcrably good, through immense valleys covered
with nopal trees The land sandy and almost value
less for cultivation No streams Of water chcered the
eye there naucht but vast parched country, bor
dered by mountsps, which looked as IL the volcanic
fires which had desoIaed them had Just swept over
their barren sides Not a cultivated patch on the whole
days march, except AT the two hating places and these
OF no account Al the hacienda OF III CAIRO we werr
escorted through the streets by band Of music, while
several points along tho route harpers and vioniss
contributed tber TO the general dscord Fl CAIRO
Of those old feuda estates in Mexico
upwards OF thousand reainers eatherd around
the great mansion, subject TO the nod OF the proprietor
Upon asking one Of me principal men OF the place how
POGO, do know how much exactly, but It is vory
ii,te perhaps from sixty to eighty leagues" The prin-
opa business OF the place Is sheep raising. ea


The dinner here was sumptuous-of the feudal timc--
dishes loaded with iood-a whole goat-a whole calf
a whole shecuand everything In proportion. During
two rancheras rancho girls These when the band OF
music was net playing n the pate kept up their thrum





10 the Mexican rancho One Of tho girls
had rather classic profile low forehead, and finely
cut her eyes OF the Oriental type, rolled wildly
pitched into the merits Of the song. Both girls
held in the right hand long cigar which they pulled
IN the graceful manner a. every ull In the tune
The left hand OF each was more usefuy employed
scratching the roots Of very thick head OF hair,
evidently for the purpose Of quetng some disturbing
influences which gave less accent TO the tune.
They sang Ia Palom0, ~ Sonsbyero Aacho and other
sypgs of She ranchero type


salinas del Pcnon Blanco We reached after passing
GOOD road greater part OF the way . vast valley
SLOPE nearly level This Slope formerly the scene
OF important cavalry contest IN Of the late civil
OF the country. AZ salinas there are several large
salt ponds the largest perhaps three square miles In ex
tent during dry season and double this In tho rains
These ponds contain about nine per cent Of salt n their
waters Me proprietos of the estate has eight manufac
tories upon H. the income from which is $4,000 net
per year The amount Of salt manufactured exceeds
ten million pounds annually. Al the time OF the French
Intervention they we're boring an artesan well here for
the purpose of obtaining fresh water was left et
two hundred and hfiy meters dcpth without gaining
the object sought is now proposed 70 continue u 70
four hundred depth doubt " they obtain the