Bullock^s Six Months' Residence in Mexico. 



541 



nafnte is in coi)teiii|)lHtioii by tbe pre- 

 sent Govoriiiiieiit. 



The cliilclicn of the nohility and 

 weallhy iiiliHbitaiits arc priticipally 

 laiin^iit at home. 'J'lie places ol' public 

 inslrucfion in ffreatost repute are the 

 Sciuiiiario and San Idelloiiz:!. 



THE viLOE, 



The great American Aloe (Agavii 

 Americana), c;ill(:d here tlie maguey, 

 is of the greatest consrqiiciice to the 

 Mexicans, anil very largely enllivaied 

 from Perolc to Tolucca, and I believe 

 niiicli fiirlher. I'rom it is made tbe 

 relreshing and favorite lievcrage called 

 pulque. It is in universal re(iucst 

 ;iinor!g the inhabitants of the Capital, 

 Pnebia, Tolucca, &c. and such is the 

 con.sniiiplinn, that the three cities just 

 nicniioncd are sai<i by Baron Humboldt 

 to have paid duties ujion it to the 

 amount of 817,739 dollars in the year 

 1793. Plantations of the Agava are 

 >ery extensive between Choilula and 

 San .Martin, the great road running for 

 miles through them. They are set 

 about five or six feet asunder, and in 

 favourable situations come irito bloom 

 in about ten jewrs, at which period the 

 valuable liijuor is to be procured. As 

 soon as the owner perceives the pl'int 

 preparin;; to throw up its long llower- 

 sfem, he cuts out the leaves which form 

 its centre, and hollows it out into t!ie 

 shape of H bfiwl, at the same time re- 

 moving most of the other leaves, so 

 that the whole sap destined for their 

 Mipplv Hows to the great stem, and is 

 rccei\ed by the bowl-shnptd cavity, 

 into which it runs with such rapidity as 

 to require to be emptied several times 

 a <lay, lur a space of two months. 

 The li.pior, when collected, is placed 

 in Jars or skins; it inidergocs a slight 

 fermentation, which takes place in a 

 few days, and is immediately fit for 

 drinking. Strangers prefer it fresh, 

 but the nitivcs seldom take it till it has 

 acquired a stiong taste, and a dis- 

 agreeable fetid smell, denominated 

 fncrte, when it is esteemed in high per- 

 fection. 



A strong spirit, called pulque brandy, 

 IK distilled Irom the liqin)r. Tlie leaves 

 form the roofs of some Indian houses, 

 and fences, ropes, thread, cloth, and 

 paper are also made from it ; some 

 pari of the plant is also used medi- 

 cinally, and llie root, prepared with 

 sugar, is converted into dulces or 

 sv\cctineats. 



CLIMATE. 



'J'he climate ol New Spain vaiiei 



more in different parts than that of 

 any other portion of the globe of equal 

 extent. "^I'he low situations near the 

 shore are the hottest and most un- 

 healthy. The ports of Vera Cruz and 

 Acapulco are deserted by foreigners 

 during the rainy season, which lasts 

 from April or May till October; and 

 indeed the natives, during this period, 

 shut themselves up in their houses, or 

 oidy leave lliera on the greatest emer- 

 gencies. It is then that the yellow 

 fever and black vomit make their ra- 

 vages among the human species. 

 Strangers, parlicidarly young men from 

 Europe, camiot n-main with safety even 

 for a day. I3nt it is only on the coast 

 and a few leagues from it, and tlicro 

 principally to the newly arrived, that 

 the climate proves so destructive ol the 

 hum in constitution. As you rise lo 

 tbe Table-land, tlie air perceptibly 

 begins to cool, the face of vegetation 

 altogether changes, the tropical plants 

 disappear, a:id those b< longing lo tem- 

 perate regions supply their places. On 

 the contrary, in the journey from the 

 capitaKo Vera Cruz, about four leagues 

 beyond Xalappa, the suffocating beat 

 conrmences, the oak tree is no longer 

 to be seen, and you enter the fever dis- 

 trict ; and the pestilence increases as 

 you approach tbe shore. 'J'his, how- 

 ever, chiefly applies to the rainy season, 

 as at other times it may be visited with 

 little apprehension. 



When the traveller who has been 

 compelled to remain in Vera Cruz 

 amidst contagion and death, approaches 

 the salubrious Xalajjpa, and is assured, 

 by the appearance of the green oaks, 

 that he has left behind him the districts 

 of fever, with what pleasure does he 

 inhale liie temperate air, and view the 

 verdant hills that surround this city, — 

 a more healthy and <lelightful spot than 

 which docs not exist. Here a per- 

 petual spring reigns, verdure continues , 

 throughout the year, the woods are 

 never unclothed, the vegetable produc- 

 tions always to be obtaiiied in the 

 markets, and fruits and blossoms to bo 

 seen at the same lime. 'J"he cottage of 

 the Indian is only intended as a shelter 

 from the rain, for the extremes of heat 

 and cold are alike unknown ; and should 

 the passing storm invade his cage-like 

 liou.se, a mat spread to the windward 

 afi'urds suHicient protection. Having 

 reached the 'i'able-land, the traveller 

 has now nothing to fear from heat : in- 

 ilee<l, at I'erote and other places simi- 

 larly situated, he may in the morrdngs 



and 



