Chapter I: Preface

The custom of mingling together historical events with the incidents of travel, of amusement with instruction, is rather a Spanish than American practice; and in adopting it, I must crave the indulgence of those of my readers who read only for instruction, as well as of those who read only for amusement.

The evidence that I have adduced to prove that the yellow fever is not an American, but an African disease, imported in slave-ships, and periodically renewed from those cargoes of human rottenness and putrefaction, I hope will be duly considered.

The picture of inner convent life, and the inimitable gambling scene in the convent of San Francis, I have not dared to present on my own responsibility, nor even that of the old English black-letter edition of Friar Thomas, but I have reproduced it from the expurgated Spanish edition, which has passed the censors, and must therefore be considered official.

I have presumed to follow the great Las Casas, who called all the historians of the Conquest of Mexico liars; and though his labored refutation of their fictions has disappeared, yet, fortunately, the natural evidences of their untruth still remain. Having before me the surveys and the levels of our own engineers, I have presumed to doubt that water ever ran up hill, that navigable canals were ever fed by "back water," that pyramids (_teocalli_) could rest on a foundation of soft earth, that a canal twelve feet broad by twelve feet deep, mostly below the water level, was ever dug by Indians with their rude implements, that gardens ever floated in mud, or that brigantines ever sailed in a salt marsh, or even that 100,000 men ever entered the mud-built city of Mexico by a narrow causeway in the morning, and after fighting all day returned by the same path at night to their camp, or that so large a besieging army as 150,000 men could be supported in a salt-marsh valley, surrounded by high mountains.

In answer to the question why such fables have so long passed for history, I have the ready answer, that the Inquisition controlled every printing-office in Spain and her colonies, and its censors took good care that nothing should be printed against the fair fame of so good a Christian as Cortez, who had painted upon his banner an image of the Immaculate Virgin, and had bestowed upon her a large portion of his robbery; who had gratified the national taste for holy wars by writing one of the finest of Spanish romances of history; who had induced the Emperor to overlook his crime of levying war without a royal license by the bestowal of rich presents and rich provinces; so that, by the favor of the Emperor and the favor of the Inquisition, a _filibustero_, whose atrocities surpassed those of every other on record, has come down to us as a Christian hero.

The innumerable little things about their Indian mounds force the conviction on the experienced eye of an American traveler that the Aztecs were a horde of North American savages, who had precipitated themselves first upon the table-land, and afterward, like the Goths from the table-lands of Spain, extended their conquests over the expiring civilization of the coast country; and this idea is confirmed by the fact that the magnificent Toltec monuments of a remote antiquity, discovered in the tropical forests, were apparently unknown to the Aztecs. The conquest of Mexico, like our conquest of California, was in itself a small affair; but both being immediately followed by extensive discoveries of the precious metals, Mexico rose as rapidly into opulence as San Francisco has in our day.

The evidence that I have presented of the inexhaustible supplies of silver in Northern Mexico, near the route of our proposed Pacific Railroad, may be interesting to legislators. These masses of silver lie as undisturbed by their present owners as did the Mexican discoveries of gold in California before the American conquest, from the inertness of the local population, and the want of facilities of communication with the city of Mexico.

The notion that the Mormons are destined to overrun Mexico is, of course, only an inference drawn from the exact parallel that exists between the circumstances under which this delusion has arisen and propagated itself and the history of Mohammedanism from its rise until it overran the degenerated Christians of the Eastern empire.

From want of space, I have been obliged to omit much valuable original matter procured for me by officers of government at the palace of Mexico, to whom, for the kind attention that I have upon all occasions received from them, I heartily return my most sincere thanks.

R. A. WILSON.

Rochester, September 1st, 1855.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Arrival at Vera Cruz.--Its appearance from the Steamer.--Getting Ashore.--Within the City.--Throwing Stones at an Image.--Antiquity of Vera Cruz.--Its Commerce.--The great Norther of 1852.--A little Steamer rides out the Tempest.--The Vomito, or Yellow Fever.--Ravages of the Vomito.--The Vomito brought from Africa in Slave-ships.--A curious old Book.--Our Monk arrives at Vera Cruz, and what befalls him there.--Life in a Convent.--A nice young Prior.--Our Monk finds himself in another World 15

CHAPTER II.

An historical Sketch.--Truth seldom spoken of Santa Anna.--Santa Anna's early Life.--Causes of the Revolution.--The Virgin Mary's Approval of King Ferdinand.--The Inquisition imprisons the Vice-King.--Santa Anna enters the King's Army.--The plan of Iguala.--The War of the two Virgins.--Santa Anna pronounces for Independence 30

CHAPTER III.

Incidents of Travel.--The Great Road to the Interior.--Mexican Diligences.--The Priest was the first Passenger robbed.--The National Bridge.--A Conducta of Silver.--Our Monk visits Old Vera Cruz.--They grant to the Indians forty Years of Indulgence in return for their Hospitality.--The Artist among Robbers.--Mexican Scholars in the United States.--Encerro 39

CHAPTER IV.

Jalapa.--The extraordinary Beauty and Fertility of this Spot.--Jalap, Sarsaparilla, Myrtle, Vanilla, Cochineal, and Wood of Tobasco.--The charming Situation of Jalapa.--Its Flowers and its Fruits.--Magnificent Views.--The tradition that Jalapa was Paradise.--A speck of War.--The Marriage of a Heretic.--A gambling Scene in a Convent 52

CHAPTER V.

The War of the Secret Political Societies of Mexico.--The Scotch and the York Free-Masons.--Anti-Masons.--Rival Classes compose Scotch Lodges.--The Yorkinos.--Men desert from the Scotch to the York Lodges.--Law to suppress Secret Societies.--The Escoces, or Scotch Masons, take up arms.--The Battle.--Their total Defeat 68

CHAPTER VI.

Mexico becomes an Empire.--Santa Anna deposes the Emperor.--He proclaims a Republic.--He pronounces against the Election of Pedraza, the second President.--His Situation in the Convent at Oajaca.--He captures the Spanish Armada.--And is made General of Division 73

CHAPTER VII.

In the Stage and out of the Stage.--Still climbing.--A moment's View of all the Kingdoms of the World.--Again in Obscurity.--The Maguey, or Century Plant.--The many uses of the Maguey.--The intoxicating juice of the Maguey.--Pulque.--Immense Consumption of Pulque.--City of Perote.--Castle of San Carlos de Perote.--Starlight upon the Table-land.--Tequisquita.--"The Bad Land."--A very old Beggar.--Arrive at Puebla 79

CHAPTER VIII.

Pueblo.--The Miracle of the Angels.--A City of Priests.--Marianna in Bronze.--The Vega of Puebla.--First View of the Pyramid of Cholula.--Modern Additions to it.--The View from its Top.--Quetzalcoatl.--Cholula and Tlascala.--Cholula without the Poetry.--Indian Relics 88

CHAPTER IX.

A Ride to Popocatapetl.--The Village of Atlizco.--The old Man of Atlizco and the Inquisition.--A novel Mode of Escape.--An avenging Ghost.--The Vice-King Ravillagigedo.--The Court of the Vice-King and the Inquisition.--Ascent of Popocatapetl.--How a Party perished by Night.--The Crater and the House in it.--Descent into the Crater.--The Interior.--The Workmen in the Volcano.--The View from Popocatapetl.--The first White that climbed Popocatapetl.--The Story of Corchado.--Corchado converts the Volcano into a Sulphur-mine 101

CHAPTER X.

Texas.--Battle of Madina.--First Introduction of Americans into Texas.--Usurpation of Bustamente.--Texas owed no Allegiance to the Usurper.--The good Faith of the United States in the Acquisition of Louisiana and Texas.--Santa Anna pronounces against Bustamente.--Santa Anna in Texas.--A Mexican's Denunciation of the Texan War.--His Idea of our Revolution.--He complains of our grasping Spirit.--The right of the United States to occupy unsettled Territory.--A few more Pronunciamientos of Santa Anna.--The Adventures of Santa Anna to the present Date. 113

CHAPTER XI.

From Puebla to Mexico.--The Dread of Robbers.--The Escort.--Tlascala.--The Exaggerations of Cortez and Bernal Diaz.--The Truth about Tlascala.--The Advantages of Tlascala to Cortez.--Who was Bernal Diaz.--Who wrote his History.--First View of Mexico. 122

CHAPTER XII.

Acapulco.--The Advantages of a Western Voyage to India.--The great annual Fair of Acapulco.--The Village and Harbor of Acapulco.--The War of Santa Anna and Alvarez.--The Retreat.--Traveling alone and unarmed.--The Peregrino Pass.--Quiricua and Cretinism.--Chilpanzingo.--An ill-clad Judge.--Iguala.--Alpayaca.--Cuarnavaca. 132

CHAPTER XIII.

California.--Pearl Fisheries.--Missions.--Indian Marriages.--Villages.--Precious Metals.--The Conquest of California compared with that of Mexico.--Upper California under the Spaniards.--Mexican Conquest of California in 1825.--The March.--The Conquest.--California under the Mexicans.--American Conquest.--Sinews of foreign Wars.--A Protestant and religious War.--Early Settlers compared.--Mexico in the Heyday of Prosperity.--Rich Costume of the Women.--Superstitious Worship.--When I first saw California.--Lawyers without Laws.--A primitive Court.--A Territorial Judge in San Francisco.--Mistaken Philanthropy.--Mexican Side of the Picture.--Great Alms.--City of Mexico overwhelmed by a Water-spout.--The Superiority of Californians. 142

CHAPTER XIV.

First Sight of the Valley of Mexico.--A Venice in a mountain Valley.--An Emperor waiting his Murderers.--Cortez mowing down unarmed Indians.--A new kind of Piety.--Capture of an Emperor.--Torturing an Emperor to Death.--The Children paying the Penalty of their Fathers' Crimes.--The Aztecs and other Indians.--The Difference is in the Historians.--The Superstitions of the Indians.--The Valley of Mexico.--An American Survey of the Valley.--A topographical View.--The Ponds Chalco, Xochimulco, and Tezcuco were never Lakes. 167

CHAPTER XV.

The Two Valleys.--The lake with a leaky Bottom.--The Water could not have been higher.--Nor could the Lagunas or Ponds have been much deeper.--The Brigantines only flat-bottomed Boats.--The Causeway Canals fix the size of the Brigantines.--The Street Canals.--Stagnant Water unfit for Canals.--The probable Dimensions of the City Canals.--Difficulties of disproving a Fiction.--A Dike or Levee.--The Canal of Huehuetoca.--The Map of Cortez.--Wise Provision of Providence.--The Fiction about the numerous Cities in and about the Lake 176

CHAPTER XVI.

The Chinampas or Water Gardens.--Laws of Nature not set aside.--Mud will not float.--The present Chinampas.--They never could have been floating Gardens.--Relations of the Chinampas to the ancient State of the Lake in the Valley 186

CHAPTER XVII.

The gambling Festival of San Augustine.--Suppressed by Government.--The Losses of the Saint by the Suppression of Gambling.--How Travelers live in the Interior.--A Visit to the Palace 192

CHAPTER XVIII.

Visit to Contreras and San Angel.--The End of a brave Soldier.--A Place of Skulls.--A New England Dinner.--An Adventure with Robbers--doubtful.--Reasons for revisiting Mexico.--The Battle at the Mountain of Crosses.--A peculiar Variety of the Cactus.--Three Men gibbeted for robbing a Bishop.--A Court upon Horseback.--The retreat of Cortez to Otumba.--A venerable Cypress Grove.--Unexpectedly comfortable Quarters.--An English Dinner at Tezcuco.--Pleasures unknown to the Kings of Tezcuco.--Relics of Tezcuco.--The Appearance of the Virgin Mary at Tezcuco.--The Causeways of Mexico 196

CHAPTER XIX.

The Streets of Tacuba.--The Spaniards and the Indian Women.--The Retreat of Cortez.--The Aqueducts of Mexico.--The English and American Burying-grounds.--The Protestant President.--The rival Virgins.--An Image out of Favor.--The Aztecs and the Spaniards 208

CHAPTER XX.

The Paseo at Evening.--Ride to Chapultepec.--The old Cypresses of Chapultepec.--The Capture of Chapultepec.--Molina del Rey.--Tacubaya.--Don Manuel Escandon.--The Tobacco Monopoly.--The Palace of Escandon.--The "Desierto."--Hermits.--Monks in the Conflict with Satan.--Our Lady of Carmel 219

CHAPTER XXI.

Walk to Guadalupe.--Our Embassador kneeling to the Host.--An Embassador with, and one without Lace.--First sight of Santa Anna.--Indian Dance in Church.--Juan Diego not Saint Thomas.--The Miracle proved at Rome.--The Story of Juan Diego.--The holy Well of Guadalupe.--The Temple of the Virgin.--Public Worship interdicted by the Archbishop.--Refuses to revoke his Interdict.--He fled to Guadalupe and took Sanctuary.--Refused to leave the Altar.--The Arrest at the Altar 229

CHAPTER XXII.

The old Indian City of Mexico.--The Mosques.--Probable Extent of Civilization.--Aztecs acquired Arts of the Toltecs.--Toltec Civilization, ancient and original.--The Pyramid of Papantla.--The Plunder of Civilization.--Mexico as described by Cortez.--Montezuma's Court.--The eight Months that Cortez held Montezuma.--What happened for the next ten Months.--The Siege of Mexico by Cortez.--Aztecs conquered by Famine and Thirst.--Heroes on Paper and Victories without Bloodshed.--Cortez and Morgan 242

CHAPTER XXIII.

The new City of Mexico.--The Discoveries of Gold.--Ruins at Mexico.--The Monks, and what Cortez gained by his Piety.--The City of Mexico again rebuilt.--The City under Ravillagigedo.--The National Palace.--The Cathedral.--A whole Museum turned Saints.--All kneel together.--The San Carlos Academy of Arts.--Reign of Carlos III.--The Mineria 259

CHAPTER XXIV.

The National Museum.--Marianna and Cortez.--The small Value of this Collection.--The Botanic Garden.--The Market of Santa Anna.--The Acordada Prison.--The unfortunate Prisoner.--The Causes of that Night of Terror.--The Sacking of the City.--The Parian.--The Causes of the Ruin of the Parian.--Change in the Standard of Color.--The Ashes of Cortez 271

CHAPTER XXV.

The Priests gainers by the Independence.--Improved Condition of the Peons.--Mexican Mechanics.--The Oppression they suffer.--Low state of the Mechanic Arts.--The Story of the Portress.--Charity of the Poor.--The Whites not superior to Meztizos.--License and Woman's Rights at Mexico.--The probable Future of Mexico.--Mormonism impending over Mexico.--Mormonism and Mohammedanism 280

CHAPTER XXVI.

The Plaza of the Inquisition.--The two Modes of human Sacrifice, the Aztec and the Spanish.--Threefold Power of the Inquisition.--Visit to the House of the Inquisition.--The Prison and Place of Torture.--The Story of William Lamport.--The little and the big _Auto da Fe_.--The Inquisition the real Government.--Ruin of Spanish Nationality.--The political Uses of theInquisition.--Political Causes of the Bigotry of Philip II.--His eldest Son dies mysteriously.--The Dominion of Priests continues tillthe French Invasion 292

CHAPTER XXVII.

Miracles and Earthquakes.--The Saints in Times of Ignorance.--The Eruption of Jorullo.--The Curse of the Capuchins.--The Consequences of the Curse.--The unfulfilled Curse.--The Population of the Republic.--Depopulation from 1810 to 1840.--The Mixture of Whites and Indians not prolific.--The pure Indians.--The Meztizos.--The White Population.--Negroes and Zambos.--The Jew and the Law of Generation.--The same Law applies to Cattle.--It governs the Generation of Plants.--Intemperance and Generation.--Meztizo Plants short-lived.--Mexico can not be resuscitated.--She can not recover her Northern Provinces 304

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The Church of Mexico.--Its present Condition and Power.--The Number of the "Religios."--The Wealth of the Church.--The Money-power of the Church.--The Power of Assassination.--Educating the People robs the Priest.--Making and adoring Images.--The Progress downward 319

CHAPTER XXIX.

Causes that have diminished the Religios--The Provincials and Superiors of Convents.--The perfect Organization.--The Monks.--San Franciscans.--Dominicans.--Carmelites.--The well-reputed Orders.--The Jesuits.--The Nuns.--How Novices are procured.--Contrasted with a Quaker Prison.--The poor deluded Nun.--A good old Quaker Woman not a Saint.--Protestantism felt in Mexico 330

CHAPTER XXX.

The Necessity of large Capitals in Mexico.--The Finances and Revenue.--The impoverished Creditors of the State.--Princely Wealth of Individuals 348

CHAPTER XXXI.

Visit to Pachuca and Real del Monte.--Otumba and Tulanzingo.--The grand Canal of Huehuetoca.--The Silver Mines of Pachuca.--Hakal Silver Mines.--Real del Monte Mines.--The Anglo-Mexican Mining Fever.--My Equipment to descend a Mine.--The great Steam-pump.--Descending the great Shaft.--Galleries and Veins of Ore.--Among the Miners one thousand Feet under Ground.--The Barrel Process of refining Silver.--Another refining Establishment 352

CHAPTER XXXII.

A Visit to the Refining-mills.--The Falls and basaltic Columns of Regla.--How a Title is acquired to Silver Mines.--The Story of Peter Terreros, Count of Regla.--The most successful of Miners.--Silver obtained by fusing the Ore.--Silver "benefited" upon the Patio.--The Tester of the Patio.--The chemical Processes employed.--The Heirs of the Count of Regla.--The Ruin caused by Civil War.--The History of the English Company 362

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Toluca.--Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas.--Fresnillo.--"Romancing."--A lucky Priest.--San Luis Potosi.--The Valenciana at Guanajuato.--Under-mining.--A Name of Blasphemy.--The Los Rayas.--Immense Sums taken from Los Rayas.--Warlike Indians in Zacatecas. 372

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Sonora and Sonora Land Speculators seeking Annexation.--Sonora and its Attractions.--The Abundance and Purity of Silver in Sonora.--Silver found in large Masses.--The Jesus Maria, Refugio, and Eulalia Mines.--A Creation of Silver at Arizpa.--The Pacific Railroad.--Sonora now valueless for want of personal Security.--The Hopes of replenishing the Spanish Finances from Sonora blasted by War.--Report of the Mineria.--Sonora.--Chihuahua 382

APPENDIX.

A. Mineria Report on the Mineral Riches of Sonora 391

B. Report on the Mineral Riches of Chihuahua 398

C. Report on the Mineral Riches of Coahuila 400

D. Report on the Mineral Riches of Lower California 402

E. The Remains of Cortez 405

MEXICO AND ITS RELIGION.