this understanding, which we amicably arranged at the end of our journey.

My first day's journey to Lagos was more interesting to me than I had imagined it would be, as the face of the country presented a different aspect to that which I had already seen. Between Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico, the mountains all run parallel with the Gulf, north and south. But as I had left the valley of Mexico, I found myself before the break of day on an extensive plain, shut up on all sides by lofty mountains, which looked as if they would alike defy man or beast to pass their steep and rocky heights. Although these mountains presented a view, as if they were natural fortresses to imprison all within them, yet at some depression, or as it were gateway, they would offer egress for the traveller, and when passed would only present to the beholder the same plain, surrounded on all sides by a like vast amphitheatre of mountain scenery.

The mountains in Mexico present an entire different appearance from any other in North America; for with very little exception they are uncovered with forest, and mostly without verdure of any kind; saving the gray and green moss. The mountains in resemblance looked more like spued spiral earth of a frosty morning, but upon a more gigantic scale, than any other familiar object known to my mind; having innumerable saw-tooth points and forms of peaks in every zig-zag direction. Indeed, such is the origin of their creation; for not by cold had they been spouted upwards, but by fire; and as the beholder casts his eyes up the giddy heights, and imagines the time when those volcanic eruptions were in existence, they are almost deluded, and it seems as if nature is yet in ebullition, fearfully shooting porphyritic rock high up to the heavens.

All the valleys surrounded by the mountains as above described, from their being so thoroughly divested of forest growth, would appear, but that some of them are spotted with towns and the castles of haciendas, to be vast prairies.

These plains are in fact the table lands proper, while the chains of mountains are the Cordilleras of Mexico. The plains have a fertile soil, but the Spaniards have applied the axe to every thing like brush-wood and forest trees. But although the soil is rich, it is most commonly of a blackish complexion, when not of a gravelly limestone gray appearance. It is generally shallow, and I could observe from the washed gullies that it was not more than from six to twenty-four inches in depth; and it was not unfrequently the case that the rock protruded near the surface of the earth, and that where the land was the least rolling, it had been washed away, and left a barren level rock for many miles in extent. For those whose misfortune has never obliged them to travel upon a plain of solid rock, it is not easy to imagine its disagreeableness; the clatter of the unshod hoofs of the little animals, the lofty bounces and downward plunges of the diligencia, will never be forgotten by myself. The rock is not always of a solid body, for some plains have an appearance of the bed of a river, covered by quartz stone, such as is found at the bottom of most rivers in the United States, (and which is used for the paving of streets,) and indeed must have been the beds of immense lakes in by-gone times.

The lands, as before remarked, whether poor or rich, would produce admirably, which must be attributed to the climate, that is where they are capable of being irrigated. Some of the plains would be divided into two or more haciendas, the larger one of which would be hemmed in by a stone wall of miles in extent-while occasionally a smaller farm might be met with, hedged in by the evergreen orgono, a variety of the species of prickly pear, and the maguey, which would be growing so thick upon the sides of ditches as to effectually obstruct the passage of any animal likely to be detrimental to crops. I could not altogether discover the utility of the stone fences, which in most instances must have cost years of labour, and much money, unless they

were designed for permanent landmarks, or costly ornaments, for they enclosed mostly land that never had been, and never could be cultivated.

Yet, on the contrary, it was not uncommon to see hundreds of acres of land growing in corn and wheat, having not a vestige of enclosure around them. Such fields are watched by the farmers to prevent the stock from feeding upon the crops; and the Arieros take good care that their horses and mules do not diverge from the highway upon the farms. It was wonderful to see the little attention required to prevent the animals from going astray, and nipping down the tempting green corn; exhibiting the fact that the brute creation can be taught honesty-why not the Mexicans? One thing I must not forget to mention, which must excite the contempt of the American agriculturalist—the manure of a hacienda is never spread over the land, but in every instance is thrown out of the way in heaps, and when the winds and sun have sufficiently dried it, it is set on fire and suffered to consume. A gentleman once told me that he had seen a pile on fire for twelve months, the conflagration being very slow.

The scenes as presented in the valleys are beautiful beyond description. The lava heights of those deep blue and brown peaked mountains, surrounding me on all sides, mantled by the azure sky, presented a majestic appearance, while the extended plains beneath wore a pleasing aspect. In such a view all my apprehensions of ladrones were forgotten, and the only thing which would occasionally recall me to the painful consciousness of my journey, was the violent concussion of the wheels of the diligencia against rocks, and a plunge in and over some deep furrow, worn perhaps by the attrition of ages, of animal's hoofs in the fields. There are no improved roads north of the city of Mexico, excepting just at the entrance of some of the larger towns. The whole plains are crossed and recrossed by thousands of paths, called natural ways, those of which are travelled by

vehicles are such as have been most frequently beaten down, and are therefore the smoother and firmer.

On my first day's journey, I passed the town of Mejico, a place of not much importance, and fast tumbling to decay. However, a considerable garrison of soldiers was stationed there. We arrived at Cula about three o'clock, where my Mexican friend gave me to understand, much to my joy, that we were to dine; for, after a night's travel, I had subsisted all of that day upon nothing but a cup of chocolate. Dinner being ready, I sat down to a meal the like of which I had never before seen, for it was entirely Mexican, and not like the Casa de la Diligencia hotels kept between Vera Cruz and the capital, which were conducted by French landlords, the diet therefore partaking of both French and Mexican variety.

Boiled rice was first served up, which being removed a stew was then introduced-of what kind of meat it was composed I was at a loss first to conjecture, but as my appetite had become in some degree satisfied, it partook more of the flavour of the goat than of mutton. There was also a bowl of chili on the table, which my friend intimated to me not to touch-but I had no idea of letting an opportunity slip of tasting every food used by the Mexicans; so I helped myself to a couple of spoonsfull of the stewed red pepper, and having walloped a piece of my meat in the chili, with the hope of taking the goat flavour from it, I then applied it to my mouth. But a hard time I had of it, for my tongue felt as if it had been seared by a red hot iron, yet I continued to nibble and turn over the sauced meat from side to side, with the hopes of finally conquering the fiery portion, and of making a quick swallow of it; as the tears trickled down my cheeks the diet refused to go to my stomach, and fell back again into my plate.

My friend, convulsed with laughter, held his hand between myself and the vessel of water, and shouted-bina! bina! Not understanding what he meant, I began to think

that he intended to insult me, by eating of what he intended to be a private dish; but I was not kept long in suspense, for a bottle of claret wine was introduced, and a Mexican girl popping the cork out in no time, filled a large glass and offered it to me to drink; and as the astringent draught passed down my throat, I not only thought that it was the best wine I had ever drank, but felt as if a brand had been snatched from the eternal burning. I could eat no more, although I had a better appetite than when I first began; and taking a glass of wine I left the table, leaving my friend in full possession and enjoyment of his chili sauce.

My first night's lodging was in the castle of a hacienda, the name of which has escaped me now; and having there enjoyed my meal without the use of chili, I slept until two o'clock, when the diligencia again commenced its journey. One thing I observed, and it is to be admired, that Santa Anna had not only, for the good order and government of his people, garrisoned with soldiers all the towns through which I passed, but the haciendas also, which was designed to keep his fickle fellow-citizens from rebellion, and to hold in awe the marauding banditti who infest the highways.

When day dawned I still found myself upon the same table-land, and surrounded by the same mountain scenery as on the day previous. The plain of Gueretoro, over which I had that day to travel, was greater in circumference than either of the valleys I had left behind me, and possessed a more even surface, and generally better looking soil; yet there was less cultivation, as I did not once see water until I arrived at Arroyo Zarco, where myself and friend sat down to a repast, which, whether denominated a breakfast or dinner, I cannot tell, as it was then past the meridian. However, I was more particular than on the day before, and, having better fare, I indulged freely upon boiled rice, broth, stews, tortillas, and frijoles, while my friend sharpened his appetite by mixing chili sauce with every thing he ate. Arroyo Zarco was of less elevation than any of