Reginald Herbert Mason

“ It was evident that the wretched man had made a desperate resistance; his left hand still clutched a large lock of the hair of an antagonist; and his right was clenched as though yet grasping his weapon. His clothes were tattered and his pockets were torn away; but as Lope stood over him, he saw a small cotton bag peeping forth from the breast of his shirt, which the Indians must have overlooked in the darkness. He eagerly seized and tore it open, and with breathless haste discovered that it contained the missing diamond! ”

“ 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comes within sight, the parched bananas entirely give way to bright, fresh palm-trees; the rank, dry vegetation is superseded by rich and dewy herbage; and the inhabitants of the district appear handsomer, better-dressed, and more intelligent.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. ”

“ Every room was thrown into confusion; and statues, which had formerly been regarded with the utmost reverence; were huddled closely together in dark corners for the time being. Paint, water, and the juice of the ammolé; or Mexican soap-plant, became the order of the day; and as the time set apart for the intended honour approached, the building was in such exquisite order and bloom, that the hearts of the directors rejoiced within them; and they thought they could perceive the dawning glimmer of a bright day in store for their favourite arts and beloved institution. ”

“ Although the whole road from the city of Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico passes through a country inexpressibly picturesque and beautiful, yet the ignorant idle and degraded population and the general absence of cultivation and improvement produce in the mind of a spectator feeling's of unmitigated gloom and melancholy: the great mass of the population dozing out their lives with no higher thoughts or purposes than the beasts which perish around them. ”

“ Here the river is broad, there it narrows to a rapid rivulet; at one point the rocks appear ready to fall on each other, further on, they are frightfully rent asunder, and it requires steady nerves and firm footing to approach their overhanging summits with impunity. Such stupendous scenery has great attraction for the traveller, and a lover of Nature might gaze upon it for hours together, in wondering admiration;—the arriero, however, does not yield to the temptation, but casts one curious glance in its direction and turns away;—his mission impels him onward. ”

“ The light of a glorious sunset gilds the broken ground and the frail erection upon it, and obliges the uncouth figures to turn away their faces, and place their hands before their eyes, to shield them from the glaring light.
The eldest is a middle-aged Indian, with low and retreating features, and a head partially shaved. He is dressed in a miserable thatch-like cloak, or serapé, made of twisted water-flags; and the tattered breeches that barely reach below the knee, leave his legs and feet as much exposed as the coating of soil and clay upon them will permit. ”

“ Many a discontented Briton, wearied with the conventionalities of home, and anxious for a change, has packed up his trunk and set out on his travels, in search of Utopias and bowers of Paradise. But as those white cliffs he was so anxious to leave behind really begin to fade in the distance, he feels a sadness of the heart creeping over him; and when they are completely lost to his sight, he finds the brilliancy which illumed imaginary prospects, gathers in greater refulgence around the well-remembered scenes he has for a time forsaken. In absence, his own country becomes doubly dear to him ”

“ The countenance of the younger shewed a faint reflection of the sunlight near them, but the face of the other lowered like the lurid pile of clouds gathered in the distance; and as they plodded on in company, the youth gazed, half in fear and half in curiosity, upon the sullen contortions of his companion's countenance.
"You are very dull and silent, all at once, Sanchez," at length he exclaimed. "For my part, our near approach to the city fills me with delight. ”

“ The wolves, pinched with hunger, are unusually daring at night. There is a numerous herd of them and they are quarrelling together over every morsel of the spoil; for there is not sufficient to satisfy the whole. Several of them have turned away with their hunger sharpened, and approach the hunter, while their companions are battling for the horse's bones. Meanwhile he has started up, seized his double-barrelled rifle—the only weapon, beside his lasso, which he has brought with him—determining to hold out as long as possible, and to sell his life as dearly as he can. ”

“ No hope of tiny feet pressing the soil above, and of subdued yet cheerful faces perusing the stone which tells where they lie. No thought of shady trees and twittering birds, of calm sabbaths, hymns of praise, and thronging worshippers: but all is neglect and desolation.
In the case of the wealthy, however, neither pomp nor expense is spared. To die rich in Mexico, and to bequeath the greater part of your riches to the Church, is not only to secure a splendid pageant on earth, but to possess a safe passport to heaven besides. ”

“ The rushing wind blew in such tremendous gusts, that trees were torn up by their roots, and borne away; many of our sheds were totally unroofed, and the rain descended in such torrents upon the cattle within, that the water rose to their knees as they stood; while the vivid flashes of lightning, breaking from time to time through the growing darkness, affrighted them almost to madness. ”

“ Many a dire alarm shook the hearts of those devoted old priests, as they performed their tedious duty, through the midnight hours, under the arches and vaulted roofs of the old cathedral. Often did they give themselves up for lost, when the echo of footsteps near the square, or the noise of the wind as it shook the fretted doors of the building, saluted their listening ears. ”

“ It appears highly probable, that the political future of Mexico may be influenced in no ordinary degree, by the government of the United States of America. Since the war between the two countries, American habits and opinions have steadily gained ground; the Mexican republic adopting the United States for its model in many particulars. There are not wanting politicians in the United States, who already "realize," in imagination, the Mexican territories as brilliant appendages to their own; nor are others unfrequently met with, who complacently regard Mexico as lying "in their path of empire." ”

“ Within the spacious court-yard of the Mexican prison—the Accordada—may he seen such a horde of wretched and degraded male criminals as may challenge the lowest grades of society in any other nation to produce the like:—some crowding indiscriminately together in corners, or cowering in groups to cheat and gamble; others yelling and dancing, quarreling and fighting or dabbling in an unclean fountain in the centre; and a few repairing tattered serapés with broken needles, making baskets of decayed rushes, or hunting the abundant vermin. ”

“ The hampers are examined accordingly; and on opening the wicker-work he straightway produces—the bleeding body of a newly killed turkey, spitted as neatly on the end of the lance as if it had been before a fire! Then he draws out another turkey—alive, but pierced through the wing; a third takes the opportunity of leaping forth, though with hobbling gait, and shelters itself behind the booted feet of the soldiers; while a fourth is forcibly kept down by the officer, in its attempts to force its passage through the wicker-work to the light of day! ”

“ By the systematic sale of indulgences, however, vice stalks abroad clothed in a mantle of impunity. The commission of an enormous crime is but a small matter, providing you possess wherewithal to bribe the church for the same: how heinous soever may be the sin, the priest will wipe it clearly away for a consideration. To smooth the path of vice, indulgences are to be had ready to hand, before the crime is committed; and the indulgence once paid for, the sinner has a balance in his favour till the offence is consummated: and then all is square again until the next occasion. ”

“ Their teeth almost meet in his flesh, and, in spite of his utmost exertions to the contrary, they are gradually drawing him under water. In vain he grasps their throats with maniac energy; still they keep their hold, and the stream becomes dyed with his blood. Presently the smaller of the two looses his hold; the current carries him away and he is drowned.
Only one of his assailants a large she-wolf, remains to be dealt with now. He struggles desperately, but in vain, to free himself from her grasp, yet he perceives a kind of fixedness in her movements that he had not observed before. ”

“ The people of Mexico, in wrapping themselves round with jealous restrictions, and avoiding communication with other countries, have vented their spleen, from time to time, upon one another. But should a more liberal national disposition evidence itself in the country, and the light of knowledge and intelligence disperse the clouds of superstition and ignorance, those fruits of individual refinement and goodwill may be looked for, which only flourish in the genial atmosphere of domestic happiness and free institutions. ”

“ There is a great deficiency of those simple and elegant social entertainments, which are so agreeable a medium of intercourse in more civilised countries. Unless a Mexican family are able to dazzle their neighbours by an extravagant display of plate and jewels, rich viands, and sumptuous decorations, they do not give parties at all; insomuch, that the unceremonious, intelligent, inexpensive reunions, so welcome elsewhere, may be sighed for in this country in vain. Genuine hospitality, of a hearty, unobtrusive kind, however, is not unfrequently to be met with—especially in the country districts ”

“ Dense and teeming forests—where the branches of trees are interlaced herbage grows rank and unrestrained and flowers are borne down by their own abundance—present themselves on the one hand; while on the other whole tracts of country are neglected—lands which, with the slightest care might produce an endless abundance: beds of hardened land, covered with layers of soil and rubbish, and miles of undulating upland and valley, which ought to be duly ploughed and sown with wheat and Indian corn, are all waste and useless. ”

“ Still the arriero urges onward—onward ever! trusty ever! hearty ever! Uncomplaining and enduring as the mule, his dumb companion: ever anxious to fulfil his engagement and to merit the confidence which has been reposed in him.
Now he approaches a deep ravine upon the great Rio del Norte through which for several miles the pent-up stream rushes in rapid torrents. Not even an Indian canoe can pass those deep-sunk streams; and the abyss viewed by a stranger from its top is wonderfully magnificent and fearful. The sides of the craggy precipices are in some places almost perpendicular ”

“ His purpose becomes apparent when the bull opens his mouth wide to bellow; for suddenly the bear seizes upon the bull's tongue with his fangs. The tortured bull exerts all his strength to throw off his assailant; but the bear's hold is tenacious, and relaxes not till he has torn out the tongue by the roots! This decides the combat: the bull, overcome by the agony, sinks down powerless at once, and is immediately dragged off the arena to die. ”

“ No wonder, then, that the people have little respect for a religion taught by such men: who, however, make it a powerful instrument of terror to the timid, the weak, and the credulous. Penance and other physical terrors are threatened on fitting occasions; while the bugbears of excommunication and purgatory are held forth in all their horrors besides. The priest does not scruple to represent himself as the absolute arbiter of eternal bliss or endless punishment ”

“ So fatal to human life are the hot, marshy breezes constantly afloat in their neighbourhood, that the most accustomed inhabitants are often stricken with fever, followed by speedy death; and all who have the means in their power are happy to take refuge, during the hot season, in the more favoured districts at a distance above them—where the burning sunshine is tempered by the clear air of the hills, and the atmosphere is uncharged by the poisonous particles generated in the vapours of the tropics. ”

“ Suddenly we come upon a band of Indians, quite overcome with the liquor they have recklessly swallowed whom a very inadequate party of police-officers are endeavouring to remove. Their efforts, however, only serve to irritate the Indians; whose eyes glow with the fury of intoxication, while they foam at the mouth, and utter wild shrieks; those among them who are armed struggle desperately with the officers; wounds are inflicted; groans are heard, and death is not unlikely result. Drinking and fighting form two of the staple recreations of vast masses of the population of this country. ”

“ If thou dost prove treacherous, our vengeance will overtake thee when thou dost least expect it: our emissaries will be ever near when thou knowest it not; no distance will weaken our control; and no power will shield thee from our resentment. On the other hand if thou dost serve us faithfully and well, we will defend and support thee, and thou wilt have a due share of our booty with the rest. ”

“ It is the business of the vaquero to preserve the sheep and cattle under his charge from straying and making inroads upon the unprotected vegetable and grazing-lands of other proprietors; but as the animals are almost as indolent as himself—lying as they do, blinking and sleeping in the more shady parts of the field—his occupation is a very light one, and he trains himself to follow it with only one eye, and that but partially open. ”

“ Such was the room in which I did not sleep; though the landlord was greatly surprised that any objection could be started against such quarters,—and it was not without a very stormy debate that he could be prevailed upon to grant me any other.
Beggary is a profession—by far the most universal one in the city of Mexico. I had before seen it in great force in other districts, and had heard much of its prevalence in the capital; but I certainly was not prepared for such a tumultuous exhibition of mendicity as I beheld next morning from the window of my apartment. ”

“ If he can only gain the deep stream which he sees shining on his right hand the hunter will have a chance of safety: the water will; at all events, be an auxiliary to him, as he is an excellent swimmer. The thought inspires him with renewed hope and energy; he halloos, and beats off his enemies at every step; and, after many narrow escapes, he reaches the banks of the river. The wolves, however, appear to have a perception of the importance of the moment ”

“ Just at this instant, the scoundrel Sanchez, his old companion, also turned; and seeing that his victim hesitated and looked back, he raised his hand with a threatening movement, hastily advancing a few steps and shouting.
This action, and the apprehension it excited proved too much for the young Indian's presence of mind; he quitted his hold upon the rock; and began to fly from his fancied pursuer—his foot slipped—he fell over the precipice— —and before he could reach the bottom, he was a crushed and mangled corpse. ”

“ Indeed, it is seldom that the eye can rest upon a spot where the evidences of care and cultivation are visible. The most magnificent and entrancing prospects are to be found occasionally; but they owe everything to nature, and nothing to man. We gaze with wonder and untiring admiration upon the beauteous works of God; but when we view the rich landscapes in connection with the prosperity and advancement of mankind, our thoughts find no response, and we turn from the prospect with a feeling of unmingled sadness. ”

“ A trumpet sounds, folding-doors are thrown open, and every neck is strained to view the scene, as a bull is led in—a stout, powerful, young beast, in all the pride of unsubdued strength; the sharp tips of his horns have been cut off, but he still looks sufficiently formidable. The matadores and picadores come thronging in their gay costumes, in great numbers and high spirits, mounted on rather small horses, blindfolded; and bearing lances in their right hands, and red mantles on their left arms. ”

“ He is not incapable of exertion, however; but the evening hour, when all is cool, is the proper time to exercise it—then, after he has girded up his loins and escorted his charges to their resting-place, for the night—when he is cosily seated by the furnace side in the servant's room of the farm—his feats in bolting the tortilla cakes, and clearing the mutton platters are astounding: empty cups and pots of stew attest his energy, and his attentions to the pans of frijoles and chilé, and his exertions in swallowing draughts of pulque and atole, are most laborious. ”

“ The practice of gaming has probably never been carried to such a height in any country as in Mexico: the best houses and hotels in their neighbourhoods are fitted up for the reception of wealthy gamblers; and the poorer sort have also their places of resort, where play is pursued with equal avidity—varied by the indulgence of vices and debaucheries of a more disgusting and degrading character.
The most favourable specimens of the Mexican people are sensitive, proud, impulsive, talented, courteous, brave, sincere, and hospitable ”

“ The wild-cattle hunters of the prairies have only to come within hailing distance of a herd to select the finest and the best and to consider them as certainly their prey as if their hides were already laid on the backs of their horses, and their fat melted into barrels for sale. ”

“ Close beside these sat a dirty, frowsy man, with blanket old and soiled, hat crushed and adust, leathern pantaloons faded, boots thick and unused to friction, and linen almost as sombre as his complexion. Yet he was a genuine town-councillor, and his opinion was received with as much consideration as another's;—he was a rich man, and well known to be such, though considering it to be no part of his duty to his neighbour, to keep himself outwardly clean and respectable. ”

“ If foreign goods are landed at all on the shores of the republic, it is under every possible discouragement and disadvantage; and thus less capital is circulated throughout the nation, fewer profitable investments are presented to the wealthy, and the prices paid by the poor population for necessary articles are ruinous and exorbitant.
In addition to the want of capital and labour, rents of houses and land in the cities of Mexico are enormously high; insomuch that none but the very wealthy can reside in good houses and decent neighbourhoods. ”

“ This road is very solitary and perilous, particularly where for about a hundred yards it passes over a ledge of rock only about four feet wide, overhanging a precipice, from which even sure-footed mules, too heavily laden, have missed footing and slipped to be dashed to pieces on the rocks below. There is nothing to disturb the impression which the wild and desolate character of the scene makes on the mind of a traveller, but a number of rude crosses erected at intervals along the route—mementos of unsuspecting wayfarers who have been murdered by ladrones ”

“ No sooner has each champion caught sight of his opponent, than his eye kindles, his wings flutter, and he manifests the utmost eagerness to begin the attack: they are then placed on the ground, opposite each other, at a little distance, and with a vindictive scream they both spring forward. Leaping up and meeting one another in full shock, they struggle wing to wing; they pounce upon each other with their beaks, and strike with their armed claws ”