588 "Mexico;" and " Mexican Illustrations." [JuNE, 



a half; but, of course, halting a day or two in addition, to rest the weary 

 animals. 



" A sort of covered sofa, called a litera, carried on poles, which serve as 

 shafts to a mule in front and another behind, is often made use of from the 

 coast to Xalapa; and in wet weather may be even taken on to the metropolis 

 with advantage, as the journey can then be accomplished in six days ; but by 

 far the most usual, and, I think, the most agreeable way of proceeding, is to 

 ride ; driving before you two or three animals loaded with your linen and 

 comforts, and at least one additional horse for the saddle." 



It should be observed, that this road is, for " the republic/' a road of 

 a thousand ; and Mr. Beaufoy professes that the " table-land" of M. 

 Humboldt, where that author assures his readers they may roll in their 

 carriages for fifteen hundred miles together, has as much pretensions to 

 any thing like a level surface, as the fields of ice on which Captain Parry 

 (and nobody else) expected that he should be able to travel from Spitz- 

 bergen to the Pole. " If you choose to make detours of many leagues," 

 Mr. B. says, " and follow the course of the different ranges [of hills], 

 there is generally some one spot over which nine stout mules will draw 

 a strongly made coach, by dint of sticks, stones, shouts, and kicks in the 

 belly." Baron Humboldt, however, meant to speak, probably, of the 

 country, such as it may become. The understanding that travellers are 

 to carry their beds and breakfasts with them those who desire such 

 accommodations prevails nearly throughout Old Spain : and, from the 

 description of the first inn at which the author reposes, the advantage 

 of taking the same precaution in Mexico seems to be hardly capable of 

 dispute : 



f( We entered a court, round which was a stone building one story high, 

 with sixteen doors numbered in succession ; and on one of these being thrown 

 open so as to admit the light, for there were no windows, I advanced to the 

 entrance, but quickly made my escape on observing the brick floor teeming 

 with fleas, and depositions of filth and nastiness of the most disgusting and 

 offensive nature. 



" My servant and the muleteer advanced boldly into this pandemonium ; 

 and by the free use of cold water, with a sort of wooden shovel and bundle 

 of twigs, soon rendered it less horrible. In the mean time, I had leisure to 

 contemplate a perpendicular sun, which seemed purposely to pry into every 

 corner, and deprive us of shade ; while the loaded mules quietly bent their 

 knees under them and laid down, so as to rest the weight of the baggage on 

 the ground. 



" When I had ascertained they could not roll over and damage my port- 

 manteaus, I would not allow them to be disturbed until the room was 

 cleansed ; but then the muleteers, by dint of kicks and large masses of stone 

 thrown against their flanks, forced the poor animals, after various gruntings, 

 to rise and be unloaded. 



" I now explored my intended domicile ; and, finding I did not sneeze quite 

 so much as at first, took notice of four bare walls, a roof, a broad board ele- 

 vated on upright sticks for a table, and two boards stretched out for my 

 resting-place. To these latter I speedily turned my attention, knowing from 

 sad experience what I was to expect ; and, having armed myself with a 

 resinous piece of pine- wood,, deliberately held the lighted torch under every 

 crevice, till I had roasted all the inhabitants. 



" The animals being now relieved of their various trappings, rolled them- 

 selves well in the dust, and one was mounted by a man with lazo in hand, 

 who drove thirteen of them through the town to the watering-place, which is 

 frequently half a mile or more from the inn : they returned, bearing green 

 maize or other forage, and were then shut up in a shed, with the addition of 



