640 Bullock's Six Montht 



the knees, alsoof leather, soniotimes of 

 tlic skin of goats, or of tiic Peccary, 

 with the li:iir side outvvarrls. Under 

 tills arc worn full calico trousers, reach- 

 ing to the niiilille of the Icjr, wilii 

 sandals of leather on the feet, much in 

 the form of the ancient Romans. 'I'hc 

 women appear in Utile more than a pet- 

 ticoat and short jacket, with their long 

 raven-like tresses plaited on each side 

 of the head with red tape. When 

 seated on the ground fur hours in the 

 market-place, <-xposcd to the snn, I 

 have often seen them place a cabhage, 

 or other large loaf, on their heads, to 

 defend tlicni from its influence. 'J'hcy 

 are generally clean in their appearance, 

 and orderly and niotlest in ll'.eir bc- 

 liaviour. Indians are seldom seen on 

 liorschack, or walking, on the roads; 

 their ordinary pace being a kind of 

 trot, or short run ; in which manner (hey 

 proceed to the town, carrving heavy 

 loads. In returning from the market 

 they are not so expeditious, being 

 sometimes a little pnlqneiied, and in 

 high spirits; they arc, however, always 

 respectful and polite to strangers. 

 While these are passing they stop, 

 take off their hats, and salute them; 

 and are much pleased to be spoken to, 

 or noticetl. 



The Indian hnis vary much, accord- 

 ing to the situation in «hicli they are 

 placed. Tluise in the warmer parts arc 

 a mere bird-cage, made of canes or 

 sticks, and roofed with leaves. In the 

 mountains, near the snow', as at las 

 Vegas, they resembli- the houses of 

 Norway, and Alpine Switzerlai:d, and 

 are composed, like them, of solid logs 

 of wood. Some are of split boards: 

 many of unburnt brick, with flat roofs; 

 and, near Mexico and Tolluea, of 

 stone. They have always a neat little 

 garden attached to them. The villages, 

 in favourable situations, are so enclosed 

 and screened by the luxuriant foliage 

 in which they are enveloped, that a 

 Stranger may j)ass without observing 

 them. Their neat simple residences 

 have often afTorded me much pleasure: 

 — their bed, a mat spread on the floor, 

 or a net suspended from the ceiling— 

 a few earthen vessels and calibashes — 

 with stone for preparing their tortillos, 

 or bread of Indian corn — form the bulk 

 of their earthly goods. The rude figure 

 or print of a Saint, and generally a few 

 toys of earthenware, serve as orna- 

 ments, and constitute their finery ; — 

 yet I have never seen a people more 

 happy or contented. 



Residence in Mexico. 



MANUFACTOUIF.S. 



The wretched system in whicli public 

 manufactories are conducted, is of 

 itself sufficient to disgust ev<n the most 

 degraded and lowest of the human 

 species. Instead of encouraging the 

 love of labour and industry, as the 

 means of obtaining comfort, wealth, 

 and enjoyment, it is here accompanied 

 by shivery, poverty, and misery. 



Every manufactory that requires 

 many hnnds is strictly a prison, fioni 

 which the wretched inmates cannot re- 

 move, and arc treated with (he utmost 

 rigour. Many of them are leally con- 

 fined for a number of years for crinn s 

 against the law s ; an<l others, by bor- 

 rowing a sum of money from Iho 

 owners, pledge their persons and their 

 labours till they redeem it, which it 

 often happens is never done. The pro- 

 prietor, instead of paying in money, 

 supplies them with spirits, tobacco. Sec. 

 and by these means they increase, rather 

 than liquidate, the original debt. 



They have mass said for the wrefclied 

 inmates on the premises ; but higli 

 walls, double doois, b;iired windows, 

 and severe corporeal punishments in- 

 flicted in these places of force<l in- 

 dustry, make them as bad as the worst- 

 conducted ga(,I ill t'urope. As the 

 people receive tl.i-ir ideas <if manufac- 

 tories from such places, can we wonder 

 at the (letestation in whicii they niv- 

 held .' What must tlieir opinion «if 

 Euiope be, which they are luugbl to 

 consider as the place where all the 

 manufactured articles imjiorfed are 

 produced, and, as they suppose, car- 

 ried on by the same system? 



LITERATURE. 



Tlie literary establishments at pre- 

 sent in Mexico are very few, and no 

 libraries of any extent are open to the 

 public. The productions of the press 

 are not nu.tierous, nor is there any 

 thing that sup[)lies the place of our 

 magazines, or other periodical pub- 

 lications. There are now, however, 

 three or four daily papers, but they 

 c<mtain very little inrormation ; (hey 

 are only just beginning to inseit adver- 

 tisements, which are received gratis, 

 in the same manner as they were in 

 England at the commencement of our 

 newspapers. 



Lancasterian schools were estab- 

 lished in the capital l.-y the Emperor 

 Au;iustine I., vihoisiiow in London: 

 he informed me that it w as his inft-iition 

 10 have extended (hem (hrongliont all 

 the provinces. Something of the same 

 natur* 



