Pictures of life in Mexico/Volume 1/Chapter 1
PICTURES OF LIFE
IN
MEXICO.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
The country of Mexico, generally, presents a very striking and peculiar aspect to a visitor from Europe. Its abrupt changes of climate and uneven volcanic structure, its rich natural productions and splendid scenery, together with the picturesque appearance of a portion of its inhabitants, and the wild looks of the remainder, arrest the attention most forcibly; while the degraded condition of its whole population supplies abundant food for thought to the intelligent and humane.
Mexico is divided by nature into three portions, of different degrees of temperature,—the tierras calientes, or hot regions, principally adjoining the coast; the tierras frias, or cold regions; and the tierras templadas, or temperate regions, which include the valley and city of Mexico.
The atmosphere of the low districts, especially near the sea-ports, is exceedingly insalubrious; numerous residents annually falling victims to the prevalent fever-malaria; but the air of the elevated plains is buoyant and bracing, and so transparent that objects can be distinctly seen at the distance of many miles.
Several fine cities, containing magnificent cathedrals and spacious public buildings, adorn these states; Mexico and Puebla in the central, and Durango, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato in the northern districts, being the principal. The houses are usually built in the form of a square, round a patio, or court-yard, with offices on the ground-floor, and a large gateway for an entrance. The saloons in the upper story are invariably the most fashionable; the azotea or flat roof—also characteristic of good houses here—affords an open and agreeable resort after sunset. The colour of the buildings and their materials appear strange to an unaccustomed eye: inferior houses are often built with adobé bricks, made of merely sun-dried clay; and the exterior walls in some neighbourhoods are daubed besides with glaring colours—red and blue and yellow.
The state of society throughout the country is most unequal and insecure; and rebellions and warlike proclamations have been rife, in consequence.
Ignorant and overbearing native priests, of the Roman Catholic religion, exercise despotic sway. In no country is their withering influence more distinctly manifested; and under their direction, superstition assumes its most oppressive and baneful forms.
The recognised middle class of the community is so unimportant, that there is scarcely any degree between splendid luxury and squalid wretchedness; neither is there any provision whatever for the forlorn and destitute. Poor, half-clad Indians form the most numerous class of the population: living in miserable huts built of canes, mud, and rushes, they are helpless and indolent; and there is at present little prospect of their condition improving.
Male and female léperos—creatures in rag's and tatters, who bandage their limbs to counterfeit disease—block up the principal streets of the towns and cities, incessantly imploring the charity of the passing stranger. The country highways and mountain paths, and even the thoroughfares adjoining the capital, are so infested with troops of mounted ladrones (robbers), that it is unsafe to travel, unless armed to the teeth: the government mails and public vehicles are frequently stopped and plundered by them.
The superior grades of the Mexican people are descended from the Spaniards who settled in the country before the revolution the rest are half-castes and native Indians. The men are for the most part short in stature, and deficient in muscular power; and their-minds are as indolent and enervated as their bodies.
The women have often agreeable, though somewhat flat features, and small hands and feet their hair either falls in long ringlets to the waist, or is gathered up into numerous bands and plaits: they are very fond of gay petticoats and dresses, and jewellery. A cotton reboso, or mantilla (cotton being more esteemed than silk in this country), is their favourite head-dress; stocking's are only to be seen on the feet of fashionable ladies. Gentlemen are usually dressed in the velvet jaceti, or jacket, adorned with silver buttons; a sombrero, or broad-brimmed hat, a sash, and slashed pantaloons—with a cloak, or serapé, thrown gracefully over the shoulders. The humbler ranks, however, are seldom possessed of more than a ragged shirt and breeches and a coarse blanket; or, failing these, of a long" cloak made of twisted rushes or water-flags.
The silver mines in the northern regions are numerous and productive; and princely fortunes have occasionally been derived from working them. The laws for the regulation of mines are, upon the whole, wise and equitable; encouragement being given by government to private companies. Gold, copper, and other precious metals and minerals have also been discovered in considerable quantities.
Mexico is tolerably free from wild beasts of a large and powerful kind; though numerous gangs of red wolves range the northern prairies, and the forests and river sides abound in serpents and dangerous insects.
Few countries can compare with Mexico for the variety of its fruit, vegetable, and forest trees,—while in some districts may be seen the oaks and pines of colder regions, in others the productions of tropical climes flourish in full luxuriance. The agave, or aloe plant, here attains its full maturity, and is one of the most valuable mercantile commodities; chilé (Indian pepper), frijoles, and Indian corn are extensively cultivated; and both sugar and tobacco are grown and manufactured in great quantities. Sweet-scented shrubs and splendid flowers adorn the forest and the parterre; among the latter may be mentioned the Mexican convolvulus, the lupin, and the rose. The fruits of Europe, moreover,—the grape, peach, pear, and orange,—are only surpassed in excellence by the delicious tunas and cherimoyas, goyavas and pineapples, anonas and granaditas, more particularly belonging to the country.
But perhaps the varied and beautiful scenery of this republic, may be best understood by a brief description of the route from Vera Cruz—its great port on the Gulf of Mexico—to the capital.The traveller is generally anxious to quit Vera Cruz as soon as possible. Its situation being low and in the range of a tropical sun, its atmosphere consequently is feverish and often deadly; the utmost care and prudence are requisite to preserve health, even for a short period. After visiting the churches and public building's, therefore, and procuring a passport, or carta del seguridad, for the interior, he should arrange with an armed troop of merchants and arrieros (carriers) to travel to the valley of Mexico in their company. This kind of journeying is more secure than travelling in the public vehicles; though it is in any case necessary to be equipped with rifles, knives, and revolving pistols, in case of encountering robbers on the dangerous roads.
The first great stage, on leaving the port, is to Xalapa—the garden of the country—where the inhabitants of the coast often resort to avoid the fever prevailing in their own districts. Although the way thither lies for many miles through the estate of Santa Anna—his old hacienda being passed to the right—the scene upon the whole is of the wildest character. As the sea-coast recedes from view, the different appearances of the country are very striking; the hills begin to rise above the tropical foliage, until the Snowy Mountains shew themselves on the horizon.
The traveller at first proceeds beside interminable looking forests of dark trees, interspersed with magnificent flowers and shrubs of gorgeous colours. A region of apparent volcanic formation—steep, barren, and irregular—is then presented; followed by districts set apart for the growth of the maguey plant, or agave, and chilé pepper. He is soon jogged and bruised in toiling up rough and broken paths by the mountain sides, where he seems, for a time, cut off entirely from the external world. Then he perceives other outspread forests of a fairer bloom than the former, the trees greener, the shrubs more fragrant, and the whole prospect more refreshing to the sight.
Descending a rocky elevation, where a dense blue mist is always floating, the effect of the sun's rays beneath is very beautiful: the line dividing the sunshine and the clouds may be clearly distinguished. On one point of the rocks, looking back as far upon the horizon as the eye can reach, the waters of the Gulf of Mexico sparkle in the brilliant light. And as Xalapa itself comes within sight, the parched bananas entirely give way to bright, fresh palm-trees; the rank, dry vegetation is superseded by rich and dewy herbage; and the inhabitants of the district appear handsomer, better-dressed, and more intelligent.
The town of Xalapa fully realizes the most extravagant expectations. The houses are open and healthy, and built on picturesque hills amid luxuriant trees. The female inhabitants are amiable and refined; and religion and morals are held in high esteem. But the greatest attraction to an intelligent traveller is presented by the scenery. Forests stretched out like a sea of liquid amber, studded with rich bananas and shady palms, mezquite groves and cypress trees, tuna shrubs and orange bushes; beds of red and blue, purple and yellow flowers, piled in rich harmonious profusion, with tufts of hanging blossoms, beautiful alike in themselves and in their promise of golden fruit, present a ravishing sight! Scarcely less lovely are the birds of gay plumage, the parroquets and pheasants, cockatoos and humming-birds—the brilliant colours of their plumage shining in the sunlight, as they flutter among the branches. The fruits, ripe and bursting—the cherimoyas and granaditas, anonas, grapes, and apricots, mammeis, pineapples, and goyavas, tunas, nuts, and sapotes; all unite to form a scene seldom to be equalled, and never to be forgotten!
The road beyond this beautiful spot is so unusually elevated, that the wayfarer appears to be walking among the clouds; sombre pines, volcanic beds, wild glens, and huge rocks, skirt the route at intervals. The villages of La Hoya and Las Vigas soon come in sight; and passing the mountains of Orizaba and Tepiacualca, the great plain of Perote begins to open on the view. The way to Perote from thence lies through a district much infested by robbers; the town itself being considered the most ruffianly in Mexico.
The next resting-place is Puebla, the second city of the republic; well situated, cleanly looking, healthy, and agreeable. The mountains that surround and shut in the splendid valley of Mexico now appear in sight; and gaining the track between their summits, the more minute peculiarities of the scene arrest the eye of the traveller. Broad lakes, sparkling here and there in the distance, impart life and brightness to the prospect; while groves of cypress and pine trees add elsewhere the charm of repose. Warm, light-coloured fields of corn and pasturage contrast vividly with extensive precipices and volcanic ridges; and chilé enclosures and bean-fields most effectively relieve the dark aspect of maguey plantations. And to crown the whole, after many dangers and narrow escapes upon the way, the magnificent city of Mexico is discovered, outspreading, like an ornate, mathematical problem, far below.