1828.] " Mexico;" and " Mexican Illustrations" 587 



cargo. An intelligent person, however, happened to be on board Mr. 

 Beaufoy's vessel, in command of a commercial undertaking, and who 

 had been in Mexico before. This man of experience jumped into a boat, 

 and rowed to the shore. The moment he landed, his quick eye detected 

 an old serjeant whom he had once seen in the pillory, or elsewhere ; 

 but he flew to embrace him, cramming money into his pockets all the 

 while during the operation. This serjeant, who could read and write 

 (these accomplishments in Mexico have still some value from their 

 rarity), is the right-hand man of the " governor of the fortress ;" and the 

 latter perceives in a trice, that it would be heinous that " worthy Chris- 

 tians, who bring money and industry to the republic, should find a diffi- 

 culty in landing." Horses are brought; and the searcher of South 

 American hearts gallops ten miles to the house of the commandant of 

 the district." Here, I am," he says to that great man, " once more in 

 this fine country : and have brought presents for all my friends !" 

 " Indeed !" returns the other, knocking out the ashes of a cigar " then 

 my house and all I have is at the disposicion de listed :" which profession 

 means (says Mr. Beaufoy), in Mexico " I will keep all I have, and get 

 as much more from you as I can :" which is pretty nearly as it strikes 

 us what it means every where else. Orders are now dispatched, 

 however, to the bar for every accommodation for an instant landing ; 

 and the salute of the English vessel returned, after being a considerable 

 while standing. 



When this compliment (the salute) was paid to Mr. Ward and his friends 

 at Vera Cruz, the Mexicans forgot, by some accident, that their guns were 

 shotted : and the whole British commission, sent out to recognize the 

 independence of South America, was within an ace of being farther dis- 

 patched as Sir Joseph Yorke put his point the other evening " to tes- 

 tify that recognition in Heaven." By good luck, however, this time the 

 landing takes place in safety: and in the town our author is bitten by fleas; 

 and at dinner wages constant war " with the flies, that settled on every 

 morsel of meat." " It is of no use," said an American, who was seated 

 near ; <e in republics, the flies will eat as well as you and I." Mr. Beaufoy 

 accordingly takes heart, and eats flies and all and protests " that they 

 are not so very ill tasted." In the evening he observes, in the front of 

 each house, the family picking the vermin out of each other's heads, 

 which he conceives is very nasty ; but " they might have done worse" 

 which is perfectly true, for they might have left them in. The party 

 remains, however, at this place of course no longer than is absolutely 

 necessary to complete their arrangements for removal ; and, at the end 

 of two days, the speculation moves forward towards Mexico. 



The best description of South American travelling which the book 

 affords, is found in a more advanced stage of our author's progress. As we 

 have but a certain space to allow him, we shall take the liberty to intro- 

 duce it here : 



" The modes of travelling in Mexico are various. A well- constructed road 

 of two hundred and sixty four miles did once exist between Vera Cruz and 

 the capital ; and, though it has long been in a ruinous state, it is still possible, 

 with seven mules, and four others running by the side to relieve them, to drag 

 a coach over the distance in eight tedious days. A lighter vehicle, resembling 

 Sterne's chaise deposte, and derided in the appellation of a volante, cau be made 

 to run over the same ground, by means of three mules abreast, in six days and 



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