1828.] " Mexico;" and " Mexican Illustrations" 589 



Indian corn and barley for their food. At night, if another den could riot be 

 procured, my English servant used to spread his bed at the side of my own ; 

 while the Mexican servants and muleteers contentedly placed themselves out- 

 side the door in their scrapes, and slept till daybreak, notwithstanding the 

 extreme chilliness of the air. 



ff In the morning, before it was light, the whole party was on the move : the 

 beasts were driven to water, and, if possible, more corn given them ; while I, 

 to the utter astonishment and even alarm of the natives, who expected to see 

 me suddenly stricken to death for such temerity, went through the usual Euro- 

 pean operations of shaving and washing. 



" As soon as every article was packed up, the mules were brought out to be 

 loaded ; and, having a pocket-handkerchief placed over their eyes, were first 

 encumbered with an enormous sort of wadding or pack-saddle, then, by 

 means of cords, the portmanteaus, &c. were suspended in equal weights on 

 each side ; and the said cord being passed twice round the stomach of the 

 poor creature, a man on each side placed one foot against the beast, and with 

 both hands pulled most strenuously, as if the animal or its belly could in no 

 way be affected by their merciless exertions. 



" The mules in general stood with their legs firmly planted, and only 

 shewed their knowledge of what was going on by grunts, and puffing furiously, 

 while I momentarily expected to see the poor creatures' bowels protruding 

 through their skins ; but I soon learnt that the operation was only a trial of 

 stubbornness between the animals and their masters ; for so effectually do the 

 former swell out their sides, that in half a mile the cargoes are quite loose, and 

 the cords again want tightening. 



" When all was ready, I headed the melee in a broad Mexican hat, blue 

 military jacket, and loose fustian trowsers, with large spurs, and my many- 

 coloured serape or cloak fastened to the crupper with thongs. From the ele- 

 vated pummel of the saddle, hung on either side a cow-skin, to protect my 

 legs in wet weather, the pockets of which were convenient for stowing a com- 

 pass and memorandum books, &c. A sword was suspended over the left skin ; 

 over my back was slung a barometer, thought by the natives to be an engine 

 of war, and I carried one of Manton's double-barrelled detonating fowling- 

 pieces in my hand. Thus accoutred, and with two good servants also armed, 

 and sometimes a muleteer or more, I rode about the country like a hog in 

 armour, unmolested and without danger. Indeed my gun was quite as much 

 dreaded as admired, because the people said it required no flints, but could go 

 off under water just as well as any where else." 



The aversion of the Mexicans to the use of soap and water, on occasions 

 of travel, amounts to horror : a firm belief existing among the people that 

 to wash or bathe at such a time is unwholesome to a degree of deadli- 

 ness. By a curious fatality, too, it happens that Mr. Beaufoy, having 

 persuaded one of his Mexicans to wash on a journey, the man as though 

 especially to discredit English infidelity does die before he arrives at the 

 end of it. A Mohammedan strictness of ablution, however, is no where, 

 if our author's observations are to be credited, considered a requisite to 

 gentility : the greater part, indeed, of the people, even of the higher 

 class, hold themselves very independent of all such processes. 



" ( I cannot think/ said one of the belles this was a lady of particular 

 nicety^, at a ball given by the foreigners, and so loud that many besides her 



partner heard her ' I cannot think why the gentlemen admire Miss so 



much? Do you know she never washes her teeth; while I am quite uncom- 

 fortable if I don't wash mine twice a week, and with a brush too.' 



" The Creoles, if not gambling, generally retire to bed before ten o'clock, 

 and in the morning have a cup of chocolate, with some sweet biscuits, served 

 to them before rising; a little water is then brought and poured slowly over 

 the hands, which sometimes convey a drop of the liquid to the eyes and the 



